Socialists in Greek win

GREECE’S Socialists trounced the governing conservatives in a landslide election yesterday, with voters angered by scandals and a faltering economy ousting Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis halfway through his second term.

Humbled by his New Democracy party’s worst electoral performance ever, Karamanlis, 53, resigned as its leader and said a new chief is needed for the party founded by his late uncle Constantine Karamanlis 35 years ago.

An exit poll for Greek TV stations said the Socialist party would win Greece’s parliamentary election with 41 to 44 per cent of the vote.