THE Greek Prime Minister, Mr Costas Simitis, bolstered by the popular mandate he received in Sunday's elections, is expected to get down to work on a belt tightening budget and his pro Europe agenda.
Mr Simitis, whose Panhellenic Socialist Party (Pasok) took an absolute majority of 162 seats in the 300 member parliament against 108 seats for its conservative rival, New Democracy, said the ballot showed "Greeks want to take a new direction".
Although the victory reduces Pasok's representation in parliament by eight seats, three smaller left wing parties all won seats, making for a net strengthening of the left in parliament at the conservatives' expense.
Pasok had elected Mr Simitis (60) as Prime Minister in January shortly after the resignation of Mr Andreas Papandreou the father of modern Greek socialism who died on June 23rd.
Mr Simitis, eager for popular affirmation of his mandate, called the legislative elections one year ahead of schedule.
His gamble has paid off, and he can now fill out the agenda he campaigned on increased integration with the EU with a view to eventual monetary union, modernisation of Greek society and a "diplomatic offensive" to address strains with Turkey.
The outgoing Defence Minister, Mr Gerassimos Arsenis, who opposed Mr Simitis during a territorial clash with Turkey early this year, is expected to lose his portfolio and perhaps even leave the government, while the outgoing Foreign Minister, Mr Theodore Pangalos, a proponent of restraint, is expected to retain his post.
Mr Simitis's strategy for Turkey is to isolate Ankara diplomatically in Europe and to insist on going to the International Court of Justice in The Hague to settle their long standing regional disputes.
Mr Simitis is expected to go next month to Cyprus, where several violent incidents between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities in recent weeks have escalated tensions.
He is also expected to concentrate on preparing a budget reflecting his priorities of austerity and combatting inflation and tax fraud.
The election has thrown Greece's right into disarray. The New Democracy leader, Mr Miltiade Evert, immediately resigned. Mr Stephanos Manos (57), a former minister in the government of Mr Constant in Mitsotakis, and Mr Mitsotakis's daughter, Ms Dora Bakoyannis (42), have put themselves forward as candidates for the party leadership.