Sunday’s Greek election eased fears in Europe and the United States about Greece leaving the euro currency bloc.

The victory of Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras, whose party supports the European bailout of Greece, is a hopeful sign.

Were Greece to leave the 17-nation eurozone, as some of its political parties desire, other European economies could suffer.

The departure could harm the entire global economy.

Mr. Sampras needs to form a government within three days.

He said: “My position is that there must be a national salvation government with as many parties in it as possible. I will continue the effort because the country has an immediate need of being governed.”

He has started coalition talks, but was immediately refused by the radical left Syriza party, which came in second. Alexis Tsipras, leader of Syriza, said: “Our strategies are opposed,” Mr. Tsipras has pledged to scrap Greece’s bailout commitments.

New Democracy won 129 of the Greek parliament’s 300 seats, or 29.66 percent of the vote, followed by Syriza with 26.89 percent.

Mr. Sampras will try to form a coalition with the pro-bailout Socialists, who came in third. Should that happen, the union would control 162 seats and could seek further help from the Democratic Left party.

European leaders are hopeful that Greece can form a government willing to work with Europe and the International Monetary Fund. Greece has received rescue loans from its European supporters the past two years. The bailouts require Greece to continue spending cuts and implement reforms.

The austerity measures have been hard on Greece, which has agreed to new savings of $18.9 billion. Part of the deal is to lay off 150,000 civil servants. Unemployment has exceeded 22 percent and Greece’s economy is enduring a fifth year of deep recession.

Both New Democracy and the Socialists want an extension of at least two years to the austerity and reform deadline, to alleviate pressure on a population exhausted by two-and-a-half years of deep income cuts and tax hikes.

Let’s hope Greece can get back on its feet — for its own sake as well as the greater good of Europe and the global economy. It will be a long process.

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