Mitsotakis to receive mandate to form coalition gov’t

As leader of the first party, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be handed an official mandate to try to form a coalition government by President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

The prime minister is expected to be received by president at 12.30 p.m. in the Presidential Palace.

Earlier, the president was presented with the official results by Parliamentary Speaker Kostas Tasoulas, who received them from the caretake interior minister, Kalliopi Spanou.

Under the three-day mandate, Mitsotakis can negotiate with other parties to try to form a coalition.

If the talks fail, the second and third parties - SYRIZA followed by socialist PASOK - each get a three-day mandate as well.

Should no party succeed in forming a coalition, Sakellaropoulou will appoint a caretaker government to take the country to a new vote about a month later.

New Democracy...