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Greece's Alexis Tsipras has said his left-wing Syriza party has a "clear mandate" after winning a second general election in less than nine months, the BBC reported.

But he said Greeks faced a difficult road and recovery from financial crisis would only come through hard work. Syriza has won just over 35%, slightly down on its previous result.

That is again short of a majority, but Syriza will form a coalition with the nationalist Independent Greeks. Conservative New Democracy won 28%.

The far-right Golden Dawn, which is set to be the third biggest party, won 7% of the vote compared with 6.3% in the election in January when Mr Tsipras was first elected.

Sunday's snap election was called after Syriza lost its majority in August. Some of his MP's defected in protest at the signing of an unpopular new financial bailout deal with international creditors and formed the Popular Unity party.

But the new party has failed to gain enough votes to enter parliament. Turnout in Sunday's poll was low by Greek standards at just over 55%.