Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras said on Sunday he was ready to try to form a "national salvation" government and appealed to pro-European parties to join him.

"We are ready to assume the responsibility of forming a national salvation government with two aims - to see Greece remain in the euro zone and to tweak the bailout policies in order to have growth and bring relief to Greek society," he said in his first comments since polls closed.

Greece Samaras's New Democracy party is leading in Greece's general election but early results show it will struggle to renew its pro-bailout coalition with Socialist rival PASOK as both parties were hammered by voters for backing austerity policies.