Decades

The huge win by New Democracy in Sunday's election creates a whole different political landscape than the one most pundits were predicting.

President Katerina Sakellaropoulou will activate the procedures to give exploratory mandates to the leaders of the first three parliamentary parties in order to determine whether a government that enjoys the confidence of the Parliament can emerge.

With nearly all votes counted in Greece's general election, ruling New Democracy was on course for a resounding lead of nearly 21% early Monday morning.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose conservative party won a landslide election victory Sunday but without enough parliamentary seats to form a government, indicated he will seek a second election hoping to consolidate his victory without the need for a coalition partner.

At New Democracy HQ, satisfaction over the wider than expected winning margin was evident.

Party officials told Kathimerini that a 4-year effort was vindicated as was the way New Democracy conducted its election campaign.

An early, instant analysis can point to three factors that led to New Democracy's historic win.

A man with his dog casts his vote at a polling station in Athens. Greeks were voting Sunday in the first election since their country's economy ceased to be subject to strict supervision and control by international lenders who had provided bailout funds during its nearly decade-long financial crisis. [AP]

As election day has finally arrived after a very long campaign period, it is worth taking an objective look at the facts, as well as the aims and expectations of the three main protagonists, while getting a glimpse on what is happening with respect to the smaller parties in the ideological spectrum.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis deserves a second term in office, with one big qualification. It would be best for Greece if he has to rely on a coalition with PASOK. This is the only realistic hope of getting to the bottom of the Predator spyware affair, which has tarnished the country's democracy.

Having secured their core party audience during the campaign period, party leaders are now openly addressing the voters or potential voters of the other parties, seeking to win them over.

The citizens will decide the fate of the country for the next four years, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said, in his last interview ahead of Sunday's general election.