Syriza has gone from fifth to second in 3 years |
New Democracy and Pasok both suffered big losses whilst Syriza almost doubled their vote share and the new Independent Greeks party have taken over 10% of the vote in its maiden election. The Communists failed to make any significant gains but the hard right Golden Dawn increased their vote from less than 0.3% to almost 7%, gaining 21 seats in the Greek Parliament in the process.
It is unlikely that any party will form a coalition with Golden Dawn so there are effectively 279 seats to play for in any coalition. Maintaining the current New Democracy/Pasok coalition would produce a coalition with 149 seats - two short of an absolute majority but an effective majority of nine if Golden Dawn are taken out of the equation. Dimar is ideologically close to Pasok so a three-way ND/Pasok/Dimar coalition is a possibility.
A right wing coalition of New Democracy and Independent Greeks would produce a coalition with 141 seats - ten short of an absolute majority but an effective majority of one without Golden Dawn's seats. A left wing coalition of Syriza, Pasok, KKE and Dimar would produce a coalition with 138 seats - thirteen short of an absolute and effective majority.
The support of Golden Dawn, with its 21 seats, could be the key to forming any minority coalition.