国际英语新闻：Papandreou receives mandate to form new Greek government

ATHENS, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister-elect George Papandreou, leader of Greece's main opposition PASOK party that won a landslide victory in Sunday's general elections, was given amandate Monday to form a government by Greek President Karolos Papoulias.

Papoulias wished Papandreou strength for the work ahead of him.

    Papandreou said that the times are difficult, and noted that the magnitude of his party's victory was indicative of the people's hope and desire for substantial, deep-rooted changes.

    Outgoing Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis called on Papoulias and handed in his government's resignation on Monday, following its defeat in Sunday's general elections.

The Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader George Papandreou (Front) smiles in congratulations from his supporters in central Athens, capital of Greece, on Oct. 4, 2009. The Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) led by George Papandreou won Sunday's general elections in Greece with a wide margin that allows the formation of a majority government, according to the first official results

    European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and the Party of European Socialists (PES) congratulated PASOK leader George Papandreou on his victory in Sunday's general elections in Greece.

    In his congratulatory letter, European Commission President Barroso underlined the challenges with which Europe is faced, stressing that everybody should display courage, cooperate and build a secure future for all Europeans so that Europe can exit the economic crisis much stronger.

    PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen stated that "George Papandreou's election victory is the change that Greece needed."

    "The 3-billion-euro 'green development' and employment plan is ambitious and at the same time realistic considering the tough decisions that need to be made to tackle tax evasion, corruption and ineffectiveness," Rasmussen underlined.

    PASOK garnered 43.93 percent of the vote in Sunday's elections, leading the ruling New Democracy (ND) party by more than 10 percentage points.

    PASOK wins 160 seats in the 300-seat parliament, which is sufficient to form the government. In the new parliament, the ND has 91 seats, the Greek Communist Party KKE has 21 seats, the Radical Left Coalition has 3 seats and the Popular Orthodox Rally has 15 seats.