New Democracy party wins European Parliament Polls

Greece’s main opposition party New Democracy clearly lead the European Parliament elections, winning 33.6 percent of the vote against 24 percent for SYRIZA party.

Greeks went to the polls on Sunday to choose their 21 representatives in the next European parliament for the next five years, as well as in regional authorities, municipalities, and communities throughout Greece.

“Greece is in need of a new government. Prime Minister Tsipras must assume his responsibility and resign. The country needs elections,” said New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“The sun is rising on a much brighter Greece,” he added.

With just over a third of voting precincts reporting, New Democracy is leading with 33.62% to Syriza’s 23.86%. The socialists of the Movement for Change follow with 7.16%, ahead of the Communist Party (5.75, the far-right Golden Dawn (4.86%), the hard-line nationalist Greek Solution (4.04%) and Diem25, the pan-European movement of Syriza’s first finance minister Yanis Varoufakis (3.15%). If the results hold, New Democracy will win seven European Parliament seats; Syriza will get six; the socialists, the communists and Golden Dawn two each; and Greek Solution and Diem25 one each.

New Democracy also stands to make important gains in the second round of the local and regional elections next Sunday, June 2nd.