New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis returned the exploratory mandate to form a government after Sunday's elections to the Greek president on Monday afternoon.

He did so in a phone call to President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou. Earlier in the day, Mitsotakis had spoken with parliamentary party leaders informing them he would return the mandate, ahead of runoff elections set for June 25. 

Sakellaropoulou will receive SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras at 11:00 on Tuesday to present him with the second exploratory mandate to form a government, according to the Greek Constitution (article 37, paragraph 2).

(Photo: Mitsotakis receives mandate from president earlier on Monday)