Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has called for an early national election following the defeat of his party at the European Parliament elections.



Tsipras said from the SYRIZA party offices that “the result does not rise to our expectations ... I will not ignore it or quit.”



The government's term expires in October and before Sunday night's announcement, government officials insisted that elections would be held at the end of the term.



Tsipras said he will visit the Greek president to request the early dissolution of parliament after the second round of local and regional elections on June 2.



This puts the election date at June 30 at the earliest. [AP]