ATHENS—Greece’s ruling New Democracy party stormed to a crushing victory in a parliamentary election on Sunday but fell just short of the threshold needed to form a government on its own, making a runoff election in a month more likely.
With most votes counted, conservative New Democracy took a commanding lead of 40.8 percent, trouncing the radical leftist Syriza, which governed from 2015 to 2019, which polled 20.1 percent.
Greece’s interior ministry projected New Democracy could win 145 seats in parliament, six short of an absolute majority.
From Monday, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou will give the top three parties—New Democracy, Syriza, and the Socialist PASOK—three days each in turn to form a coalition government….