Washington  - US President Barack Obama Sunday called Greece's next prime minister, George Papandreou, to congratulate him on his success in Sunday's elections, the White House said.

Obama "wished all Greeks well who participated in the democratic process. The President reiterated the importance of the US-Greece relationship and said he looks forward to working with Mr Papandreou," according to the statement released by the White House.

Papandreou's Socialist party won 44 per cent of the vote, or 160 of 300 parliamentary seats, according to the Interior Ministry, which had counted 87 per cent of the vote.

Papandreou's victory was seen as an expression of voters' discontent over the conservative government's handling of the economic crisis and corruption.

Papandreou's father and grandfather also served as prime ministers in Greece over past decades. (dpa)