Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP / Getty Images
As election results were tallied Sunday night in Greece, showing leftist Syriza party with a commanding lead, former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said he would once again be leading the country in a coalition government.
Tsipras described the results as a victory for the working class and a mandate for his Syriza party. With 75% of ballots counted, official figures showed the party had received 35% of the vote.
Syriza will again form a coalition government with the Independent Greeks party.
Tsipras had resigned in August after revolt within his party following his support of an unpopular bailout deal.
In July, he had succeeded in urging voters to reject a tough bailout deal offered by EU officials, but he ultimately made an agreement with international creditors.
Syriza assumed power in January on an anti-austerity platform, and Tsipras' support of the deal with foreign creditors prompted 25 members to break away and form a new party.
After being re-elected Sunday, Tsipras said he hoped to focus on the work he began when he first rose to power.
As the country continues to struggle through a financial crisis, Sunday's vote was the fifth Greek national election in six years.
In July, the parliament approved further cuts to pensions and higher taxes in order to qualify for 8 billion euros in emergency funding, necessary to keep its banks afloat.
LINK: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras Resigns To Make Way For Early Elections
SOURCE: BuzzFeed
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