Mitsotakis wins 2nd term in Greek polls

ATHENS, June 26 (AP): Greece's center-right leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis received the mandate to form a new government Monday after easily winning a second term with a record-high margin over the left-wing opposition, in an election that also ushered new far-right parties into Parliament.
With 99.67% of the vote counted, Mitsotakis' New Democracy party had 40.55% of the vote - more than twice the main opposition Syriza's 17.84%. It was the largest margin of victory seen in half a century and slightly expanded ND's 20-percentage-point lead in a previous election five weeks before.
Mitsotakis, 55, was formally handed the mandate to govern by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou. He was due to be sworn in as prime minister shortly later and name his new cabinet that's to assume its duties on Tuesday.
"My aim was to secure a stable government with a parliamentary majority. Unfortunately, two elections were needed for that," he said in a televised meeting with Sakellaropoulou, who as head of state holds a mainly ceremonial role.
"I have committed to implement major, deeply-needed reforms over the next four years, (and) have a strong mandate to do that," he said.
Mitsotakis spoke with Sakellaropoulou about the "surprise" entry of marginal parties, which brings the number represented in Parliament from five to eight, but added: "I think our democracy is mature enough to handle whatever temporary turbulence (ensues)."
Held under a new electoral law that boosts the first party, Sunday's vote gave ND a comfortable majority of 158 seats in the 300-member Parliament, with Syriza getting 48. The May election had failed to provide Mitsotakis with a majority due to the one-off electoral system then in force, which prompted him to force the new vote.
Center-left PASOK elected 32 lawmakers and the Stalinist-rooted Communist Party 20.