The London Daily News

PASOK win absolute majority in Greek parliament, Papandreou calls for unity in Greece
"A Greece that is innovative, united and forward looking" - Prime Minister George Papandreou

International News Desk

The Greek socialist party PASOK has won a decisive victory in the Greek general election by defeating the incumbent New Democracy party in a crushing win gaining an absolute majority in parliament.

Newly elected Prime Minister George Papandreou called on the Greek nation to starting "going" and underlined his willingness to take Greece back to the centre of the European Union.

President Obama from the United States was the first head of state to congratulate the new Prime Minister George Papandreou and made clear the United States government to be the first to meet with the new PASOK administration in Athens.

The talk in Athens has now switched to the heavy defeat experienced by the New Democracy party who are looking at 34% of the vote and the succession battle already in full flow.  Konstantinos Karamanlis resigned from leader of the New Democracy in Greece on hearing the early exit polls and wished his successor luck.

Likely candidates to take over from Karamanlis are Dora Bakogianni the current foreign minister and daughter of former Prime Minister Mitsotakis, the former Mayor of Athens Avramopoulos and Antonis Samaras the former foreign minister.

PHOTO CREDIT: AGENCIES

GREEK WIN PASOK