The head of the conservative New Democracy party, Antonis Samaras, has been tasked by President Karolos Papoulias with forming a government, Greek state television reported on Monday.
New Democracy won 129 of the 300 parliamentary seats in Sunday's vote, opening the way to a coalition with the third placed socialist party, Pasok, which has 33.
New Democracy and Pasok have pledged to implement an austerity program in bailout deals worth over 200 billion euros, with the European Union and International Monetary Fund, to avert Greek bankruptcy.
The leftist Syriza party, which placed second, has refused to join a coalition and declared itself in firm opposition to the bailout deal.
“The Greek people expressed their will to stay anchored with the euro, remain an integral part of the eurozone and honor the country’s commitments,” Samaras said on Sunday.
“There is no time for petty politics.”
