Greek PM Samaras falls short in first round presidential vote

Greece's Prime Minister and leader of ruling conservative New Democracy party Antonis Samaras addresses his parliamentary group in Athens December 11, 2014. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek lawmakers failed to elect a new president in a first round of voting on Wednesday, leaving Prime Minister Antonis Samaras still looking for as many as 20 votes from independents and small parties to avoid snap national elections early next year.

With two more rounds still to come, a win for the government had not been expected on Wednesday but the result was below many expectations, just meeting the minimum threshold officials had seen as adequate before the vote.