Greece's ruling New Democracy party won the country’s parliamentary election on Sunday but fell just short of the threshold needed to form a government on its own, Reuters reported.
With most votes counted, conservative New Democracy took a commanding lead of 40.8%, defeating the leftist Syriza party, which governed from 2015 to 2019 and which polled 20.1%.
Greece's interior ministry projected that New Democracy could win 145 seats in parliament, six short of an absolute majority.
On Monday, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou will give the top three parties - New Democracy, Syriza and the Socialist PASOK - three days each in turn to form a coalition government.
If they all fail, Sakellaropoulou will appoint a caretaker government to prepare new elections about a month later.
Prime Minister and New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he believed he was given a clear mandate.
"The ballot results are decisive. They show that New Democracy has the approval of the people to rule, strong and autonomous," he said, according to Reuters.
The result was a stunning boost for Mitsotakis, whose administration had to contend with a wiretapping scandal, the COVID-19 pandemic, a cost of living crisis and a deadly rail crash in February which triggered public outrage.
Elections in Greece are held every four years for the 300-seat parliament.