Antonis Samaras begins Greece 'national coalition' talks

According to BBC, Antonis Samaras, of the New Democracy party, on Monday met President Karolos Papoulias to be given a formal mandate.

Mr Samaras said he would seek changes in the terms of a bailout agreement reached with the EU and IMF.

The second-place Syriza party has rejected the terms of the bailout and said it would form the opposition.

Mr Samaras said as he met the president: "A national understanding by everybody is imperative."

Under the constitution, Mr Papoulias has given Mr Samaras three days to form a government.

Mr Samaras said he believed he could form a working coalition.

Mr Papoulias said there was "a categorical imperative to form the government" immediately.

Mr Samaras will meet the leader of the socialist Pasok party, Evangelos Venizelos, this afternoon.

The two parties should be able to form a majority coalition, but the BBC's Mark Lowen in Athens says Mr Samaras is expected to try for a broader grouping, hoping to create a stable government with a stronger popular mandate.

With almost all ballots counted, New Democracy has 29.7% of the vote (129 seats), Syriza 26.9% (71) and Pasok 12.3% (33).

There are 300 seats in parliament and Greece has a rule that gives the leading party 50 extra seats.

However, correspondents point out that only 40% of voters backed parties that broadly support the bailout deal with the EU and the IMF.