Greece's leftwing leader Alexis Tsipras has emerged triumphant from a snap general election after securing a dramatic victory over his conservative rival, despite a turbulent first term in office and predictions that the race was too close to call after he accepted a crushing eurozone-led austerity programme during his first term in office, The Guardian reported.
The charismatic leader looked set to be returned to power with a near-repeat of the stunning win that catapulted his Syriza party into office in January.
With more than half of the ballot papers counted, Syriza was leading with a 35.5% share of the vote compared to 28.2 % for the centre-right New Democracy party. Speaking in Athens on Sunday night, Tsipras declared the election a victory for the people. "This victory belongs to the people and those who dream of a better tomorrow and we'll achieve it with hard work," he said.
Jubilant supporters, clearly relieved at the result, took to the streets in celebration, with many singing and dancing outside Syriza's main election marquee in central Athens.
Tsipras told supporters that he would tackle endemic corruption in the country. "The mandate that the Greek people have given is is a crystal clear mandate to get rid of the regime of corruption and vested issues," he said. "We will show how effective we will be. We will make Greece a stronger place for the weak and vulnerable, a fairer place."
Syriza officials said while the party had not gained an outright majority they would immediately set about forming a stable government, with a view to keeping the crisis-plagued country, bailed out for a third time this summer, on track with its European lenders. Talks were already in progress with the anti-austerity, right wing Independent Greeks party, the leftists' former coalition partners.
As the scale of the victory became clear, the conservative leader, Vangelis Meimarakis conceded defeat.
"The election result, it seems, shows that the first party is Syriza and Tsipras. I congratulate him."
Tsipras had fought an uphill battle following his spectacular U-turn on previous promises to tear up the excoriating bailout agreements successive Greek governments had signed with international creditors.