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Greek elections: Greece returns to the polls - live coverage

June 17, 2012, 2:59 pm
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• New Democracy projected to win election
• Exit polls make had them neck-and-neck
• Election taking place amid severe economic hardship

9.12am: Welcome to live coverage of election day in Greece.

The Greek people are going to the polls in the midst of austerity measures, demanded by the IMF and eurozone in return for bailing out the economy, that have exacted a heavy toll on the country, already the poorest in the eurozone. Unemployment is running at 22% and an estimated one-third of the population live below the poverty line.

The results of the poll are likely to resonate way beyond Greece, with many seeing it as a referendum on the country's membership of the euro. Some believe the future of the single currency itself is at stake.

This is the second election in just over six weeks after no single party won an outright victory in the first poll, on 6 May, and attempts to form a coalition government ended in failure.

Opinion polls suggest that the two parties that finished first and second respectively in May, the centre-right New Democracy and Coalition of the Radical Left (Syriza), are running neck-and-neck.

New Democracy basically supports the bailout accord while Syriza opposes the austerity measures agreed with the eurozone and IMF. Its leader Alexis Tsiparis rejects as scaremongering claims that it is determined to exit the eurozone and bring back the drachma. Meanwhile, Greece's creditors have made it clear that if Athens rescinds the structural reforms seen as vital to kickstarting its moribund economy, further injections of cash will stop, which would force Greece to default and leave the euro.

We will be covering all the latest news as people cast their votes. The Guardian's Helena Smith and Lizzy Davies will be providing updates from Athens, while Jon Henley will be doing likewise from Zakynthos. The Guardian has also teamed up with Radiobubble, a Greek web radio and online community, which will also be relaying news to the Guardian. Its citizen journalists tweet using the hashtag #rbnews. (You can see their tweets on the right of this page).

Here are some interesting links from the Guardian's coverage of the run-up to the election.

• How austerity measures have pushed health and social services to extremes

• Greece's biggest hospital struggles as austerity cuts bite - video

• A week on the streets in Athens - in pictures

• Nick Malkoutzis, deputy editor of Kathimerini English Edition, on the agonising choice faced by Greeks - "tough it out in the euro ...or risk it all on a potentially disastrous return to the drachma"

• Q&A on Greece and the eurozone crisis with Greek economist Costas Lapavitsas

• Profile of Syriza leader Alex Tsiparis

Another link you may find interesting is an English translation of a presentation on Syriza's economic programme.

9.20am: The Guardian's Lizzy Davies has this update on voting from Athens:

Voting has begun - albeit slowly - in the polling station of Plaka, Athens's historic district under the Acropolis. Carefully laid out inside a school are leaflets for all the parties - from the centre-right New Democracy (ND) through the Ecologists to what I'm told is an historic coalition of the Marxist-Leninist Communists and the Leninist-Marxist Communists. (There's a big difference, apparently.) The children at the school are obviously being taught good English because, scrawled on the health and safety poster in the hallway, are the words "Fuck Them".

Judging by the first trickle of voters, frontrunners ND appeared to be doing well out of Plaka. Dimitris, a dentist, said he thought only they were capable of putting Greece back on the right tracks. "I hope for a government that will restore everything. Everything. I think the Conservative party is the only solution," he said. An old man, engaged in a lengthy monologue to Greek television, marched over to me and declared: "I am voting for the thieves." (This is how a lot of Greeks now refer to Antonis Samaras's party, ND, and their left-wing rivals Pasok.)

Ioanna, a white-haired lady checking for her name on the register, was more muted and said she was feeling "very anxious". "I want to be in Europe, basically," she said. "The euro too, but especially I want to be part of the European project." She refused to say who she was voting for, but her reasoning would point towards another voice for ND.

9.27am: Voting is brisk in Kera, on the island of Zakynthos, the Guardian's Jon Henley reports.

9.34am: Helena Smith and Daniel Boffey have assessed the likelihood of the various outcomes from today's election.

They conclude that most probable is a weak pro-Europe government, to which they assign a likelihood of eight out of 10.

Reform-minded "pro-European" forces win power but by a slight margin. A government is formed, but is constantly undermined by anti-bailout far-left Syriza party which becomes bold as opposition grows on the streets. The government falls in the autumn when called to pass further belt-tightening measures. The EU, ECB and IMF are encouraged by some to turn off the cash tap at Greeks' failure to honour austerity pledges. A possible contagious collapse in confidence across Europe threatens UK with a two-year recession as trade with the continent dries up.

9.40am: Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras has voted at Kypseli, Athens. And there appears to have been plenty of support from him at the polling station. He said the Greek people people have beaten fear.

9.48am: A slightly tangential update here but football fans will know that Greece secured an upset victory over Russia in the European Championships last night taking the team through to the next round at the expense of their more illustrious opponents. Guess who their next opponents are likely to be? I'll give you a clue, it's a country also starting with the letter "G". Lizzy Davies writes:

The victory brought thousands of flag-waving, blue-and-white-clad fans into the streets of Athens. Omonia Square, the capital's traditional arena of celebration, echoed to the sound of firecrackers, car horns and unprintable chants.

But, as if a big footballing win the night before the country's most important election in decades was not enough, mischievous destiny had another card up her sleeve. It is very likely that Greece's next fixture – in the quarter-final – will be against Germany. One of the loudest chants last night concerned Chancellor Merkel, but I won't repeat it here.

Twitter is now awash with jokes along the lines of this post from @Nndroid: "If Greece get Germany in the quarter-finals, will Angela Merkel try to tell the Greeks how many goals they have to concede?"

9.52am: The industrious Lizzy Davies has been talking to a couple of Greeks who have cast their votes for the far right party.

Climbing down the steps of a polling station in Exarchia, Giorgios, a civil engineer, and Dimitris, an accountant, were happy to discuss who they'd just voted for. "For Golden Dawn," they said, smartly dressed and smiling. "Because we feel they are more democratic than all the others."

The main issues facing Greece, they said, were jobs and human rights. What about the human rights of the immigrants they despise?

"In my country, I feel strange. Why? Because there are two million people who are living here illegally," said Giorgos, accusing immigrants of attacking Greek citizens. "Our children are in danger." Dimitris chipped in: "And of course they take Greek jobs."

What did they think of Ilias Kasidiaris, their party's spokesman who hit a female MP on TV? "He's our best boy." So they approve of hitting women? "Some of them (male politicians) need it (to express themselves)," said Dimitris.

9.58am: The German tabloid Bild addressed a threatening letter to all Greeks yesterday, warning them about the consequences of voting for a party (it doesn't name it, but clearly Syriza) that would row back on the austerity measures, Athens News reports. It's very unsubtle and pretty horrible stuff:

If you did not want our billions, it would have been fine by us for you to vote for any leftists or rightist clown you wanted. But for over two years now, the situation is like this:

Your ATMs continue to give you euros, only because we put them there, the Germans and the other nations that have the euro ...

If the elections are won by parties that want to put an end to austerity and reform, breaching every agreement, we will stop paying ...

You will choose between painful logic and complete disaster. And we are very much afraid that you don't get that yet.

10.07am:

10.22am: A former cabinet minister has warned Greeks about the potential consequences of registering a protest vote, Lizzy Davies writes:


A former minister of justice for the centre-right New Democracy has this message for those tempted to thumb their nose at Greece's long-dominant two parties.

Speaking as she came out of a polling station in Exarchia, Anna Benaki told me it was "understandable" that many people felt angry with her party and Pasok. But, she said, a protest vote for Syriza was not what the country needed.

"Now it's not the proper moment...to punish the old parties but the opportunity to vote for someone who can take the country forward," she
said.

The election was "critical", she added, because Greece needed to stay in the euro. New Democracy's leader Antonis Samaras has cast today's election as a straight choice between staying in the euro and the return of the drachma.

Syriza say this is a false, scaremongering portrayal of the situation and
that they, like the vast majority of Greeks, want to stay inside the
eurozone.

10.27am: A 22-year-old fired two shots outside a polling station on Zakynthos, altherthess.gr reports (Greek link). The report says that voting has continued despite the incident.

10.45am: While the elections are being seen as a referendum on the austerity measures imposed on the Greek people - as well as on the Euro - the elections will not mean the end of hardship whatever the result, writes the Guardian's Jon Henley.

Of the many ordinary Greek people I've met this week, none believe this country is in for anything but a long, hard, bruising struggle. Two of the most common reflections I've heard could be summed up in the phrases: "It'll get worse before it can better," and "I can't see a way out."

For some, the struggle has been under way for many months. The journalists of Eleftherotypia, who brought out one last special edition on Saturday, have been without pay since last August. They have survived through "personal Marshall plans" from friends and family or, in the case of Yannis Bogiopoulos, his wife's unemployment benefit of €600 a month, which runs out in December.

Sustained by donations from labour organisations around the world and the communist trade union federation, the Halyvourgia steelworkers have also been unpaid since October. Their fight has come to symbolise the resistance of Greek workers to the savage austerity measures being inflicted on their country, and they show no signs of giving up yet.

Eleni Trivoulidou, a divorced, unemployed mother of four almost-grown but still dependent children, has been unable to find any kind of work for the past two years. She's studying for an accountancy qualification at night school, but in the meantime survives on handouts from her parents – whose pensions have just been slashed – and ex-husband. All she asks is to be able to go out to the cafe occasionally with her friends.

11.01am: A wry observation from Diane Shugart, in Poros:

11.09am: Jon Henley is in Kera, on Zakynthos, where people are worried about the impact of the crisis on tourism. One restaurant owner told him takings in May and June are 45% to 50% down on last year.

This is obviously an island, and this particular part of it in particular, that's dominated by tourism ...During the summer months they absolutely rely on tourism and a lot of these people this morning have been really upset at the image of Greece that's portrayed abroad and I have spoken to couple of people who said they've actually been called up or emailed by potential holiday makers or foreign customers wanting to come and stay in their villa or hotel or whatever and wanting to be reassured that there is in fact electricity and that there would be food in the shops and people are very very upset indeed about the kind of things that have been written and said about Greece over the past few months ...The overriding impression really is 'we want stability, we want a government that's going to sit down and work with Europe and work hard and in the interests of the Greek people.' But above all a government that's going to allow Greece to ...project some kind of image of stability and safety and that things here are normal and basically that it's okay to come here on holiday.

As far as the relationship with Europe is concerned and the whole Euro issue opinions are pretty much divided. There's sort of one group ...usually the older people, who feel fairly comfortable about going back to the drachma. They've known it, it's worked in the past but they stress if that were to happen it would obviously obviously have to be very carefully planned and it would be a disaster, what would obviously be a real disaster, which is what everybody says is if Greece goes crashing out of the Euro in some kind of unplanned and unforseen way.

But then there's a whole other group of people, who tend to be younger, tend to be also more business types, who say 'no, it would be an absolute catastrophe to leave the euro. You cannot turn the clock back now. The world has moved on since Greece had the drachma, everything is much more interlinked. We are in a globalised world now and Greece needs to be part of something bigger. How would we import sort of expensive foreign goods, in particular things like medicine and machinery if we had a week drachma?'

11.21am: New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras has voted, reports Reuters.

Samaras, smiling but accompanied by nothing like the media attention enjoyed by [Syriza leader Alexis] Tsipras [see 9.40am], told reporters in the Peloponnesian town of Pylos where he cast his ballot: "Tomorrow will bring a new beginning for Greece."

11.27am: A TV station in southern Athens has been the subject of an attempted attack with a hand grenade.

12.06pm: While voting has reportedly been brisk in many areas (Jon Henley said he was told people often come out early before it heats up too much), that is not the case everywhere.

Journalists suggest there is a bit of a lunchtime lull now.

12.11pm: Thanks for all the interesting comments below the line. Here's just a sample:


Siren45

I'm off to vote SYRIZA now. It's the only party that says things as they are - tear up the bailout terms and find a better way to service the debts while protecting the Greek economy and staying within the EZ. If the EU leaders insist on the austerity measures that are quite obviously crippling us, default and leave the EZ. it's in their hands. Not ours.
It's a real David and Goliath situation if he gets in - him and a whole system rotten to the core - but it's got to be worth a shot. Anyway I'm done thinking about it. I'm voting with my heart.

And here's a response:

Tigone

Response to siren45, 17 June 2012 10:02AM


Syrzia's position is to have their cake and eat it too. Terms were agreed. If Syrzia win and rip up those terms it is their action which renders Greeces continued membership of the Eurozone impossible.

Sovjohn

Good morning. I decided to vote for Democratic Left, the only party which wants to be in government whether N.D. or SYRIZA win.
I hope N.D. wins so that people will remind themselves just how much incompetent and corrupt thieves they are (as a party) so that they will fall from government in less than a year from now, and be obliterated (as PASOK already is). But if Syriza wins, they will have to ally themselves with at least one more party, and it's the one I will be voting for - so it's a win-win situation for a government formation.

RupertBH

Greece, Ireland, and Spain have had austerity since 2009. Their economies have slumped, their unemployment rates have soared, middle income people have been pushed into poverty, and the poor have been pushed into destitution. And all in the name of getting the deficit down. But in each of these cases the debt to GDP ratio has increased since 2009.
It seems that the only people who have benefited have been right wing ideologues who have used austerity as a cover to strip employees of basic rights, to dismantle welfare support for the most vulnerable, and to sell off public assets to their mates (i.e. donors) in the private sector.
There seems to be no good reason for Greece to vote for more of the same failed neoliberal bollocks. Time for a change. Good luck Syriza and all those in Greece who want a more compassionate, more united country, with a revived economy. Its a beautiful country and it is a disgrace what the politicians, ECB, IMF and EU have done to it.

12.18pm: Wherever they are in the world, journalists so often seem to turn to taxi drivers to gauge the prevailing mood. Niki Kitsantonis, a stringer for the New York Times and International Herald Tribune has got the views of a Greek cabbie.

12.33pm: It's a big moment for Syriza - which won just 4.6% of the vote in 2009 - Lizzy Davies, in Athens, writes:

For those who have supported Syriza ever since it was a very small force in Greek politics, this is a moment of excitement tainted with anxiety. Mania Barsevski, a 53-year-old former public servant who was forced to take early retirement and is now living off her pension, accepted it was "a big responsibility" fraught with peril for her party. But, she said, there was no other choice.

"Of course we know it will be difficult. (If we win) we'll take over an economy that is destroyed. But if we don't win the situation will be even worse and by the next election there'll be nothing left standing," she said. "Wages and pensions will be lowered; health and education will be gutted. Whatever remains of national wealth will be sold for pennies."

12.52pm: Athens News reporter Damian Mac Con Uladh has witnessed the intimidating presence of the far right at a polling station. Golden Dawn got almost 7% of the vote last month after getting just 0.29% in 2009.

1.06pm: Here's another contribution from a Greek taxi driver, via @oemoral, although this gentleman, on Chios, does not agree with the Athens cabbie quoted earlier (see 12.18pm).

1.09pm: In one polling station in Athens, two-thirds of those eligible to vote have reportedly already done so.

1.21pm: Another hand grenade has been found in the vicinity of the Skai TV studio where an unexploded device was found earlier (see 11.27am).

Skai has been accused of broadcasting pro-austerity propaganda. There is no evidence at present as to who was behind the attack.

2.02pm: Stratos Safioleas has tweeted some useful information about the mechanism of today's vote.

2.32pm: Here are some more polling updates via Twitter.

2.49pm: News in from Helena Smith, our correspondent in Athens, on the latest unofficial exit polls being conducted on behalf of political parties ahead of the close of the ballot at 7pm local time (5pm BST).

I have just spoken to a senior cadre in the socialist Pasok party where unofficial polling results are being monitored on a two-hourly basis. "The next few hours are crucial as the rush to vote has only just begun among young people," he told me. "From now to the close of the election polling stations are likely to be packed."

Latest results, he said, show the conservative "pro-European" New Democracy party in the lead with 29% of the vote closely followed by the anti-bailout far-left Syriza party with 27%. Pasok is in third with 12%. The small European-oriented Democrat Left has around 6%. Support for the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, which was catapulted into parliament for the first time since the collapse of military rule in 1974, was also at 6%. Figures for the communist KKE party and anti-austerity Independent Greeks party were not available.

Exit polls will be released at 7pm Greek time but with at least 15 % of voters undecided analysts have warned that it won't be before 9:30pm that "a clear result" comes through.

3.08pm: Greek documentary-maker Aris Chatzistefanou, who made a powerful film for the Guardian on how austerity cuts are affecting Greece's biggest hospital, said whatever happens today the difficulties in the country will continue for months to come.

The whole political landscape that was created after the end of the dictatorship in '74 is now collapsing and I'm talking mainly about the socialist Pasok and the conservative New Democracy. Even if New Democracy manage to win the second round of election, we are talking about completely new political parties than we have seen for the last decade so it's difficult to talk about hope because one way or another, whether pro-memorandum [austerity plan] or or anti-memorandum forces win, we are awaiting a very very difficult period for many months to come. But it is a change and every change can provide some hope. We are saying here in Greece that the old is now dead but the new is yet to be born.

I was thinking that the most important part will come after the elections whatever the outcome and it will be the people who decide the decisions on which path to follow. If we have a win for conservative New Democracy, I am sure that unions and many people will demonstrate against the new package of measures, the new austerity measures. If we have Syriza as the first party, first we have to see what will happen, if it will manage to create a government and then it will need support from the people because we know that the climate against the party is really negative.

We have seen newspaper articles from Germany saying Tsipras is a populist and you have to avoid him. So we understand that he will receive huge pressure from Brussels, from Berlin and it will all depend on the support he will receive on the streets from people. So it's an interesting day today because of the elections but I think that the following weeks will give us a more clear idea of what is to follow.

3.36pm: Condemning the outside interference in the election, Greek blogger Nick Malkoutzis, who is also deputy editor of deputy editor of Kathimerini English Edition, writes that "Europe that has become scared of democracy".

This is the quid pro quo of the loan deals: Greece receives money in return for certain fiscal measures and structural reforms. Nowhere does the agreement dictate how people should vote in a free election.

This hasn't prevented a number of European officials from expressing an opinion about their preferred outcome of Sunday's vote. The latest to do so was Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker. "If the radical left wins – which cannot be ruled out – the consequences for the currency union are unforeseeable," said Juncker, who as head of the Eurogroup also holds an institutional role within the European Union, a role that – theoretically – implies neutrality on such sensitive issues as national elections.

Juncker's comment is in keeping with repeated interventions by Europeans over the last month. Their comments implied a deep disapproval of potential choices by free citizens. This began in February when German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble made the incredible suggestion that Greece should hold off elections and allow the interim government led by Lucas Papademos to stay in power for longer. This revealed a Europe that has become scared of democracy, unable to deal with the uncomfortable realities that it can produce.

4.00pm: One hour to go until the polls close.

4.25pm: Once again, thanks for all the interesting comments below the line.

Here's an interesting one from Aggeliki that perhaps goes some way to explain the surge in support for Syriza among people who did not vote for them in the past and who are not necessarily completely ideologically aligned with them.


I am not in Greece today, but if I were I would be voting for SYRIZA.

I am not a SYRIZA supporter, in the sense that I have never voted for them and there is plenty about them that I dislike. Like many current SYRIZA voters that I know, this is the first time I have ever even considered voting for them, and I'd like to outline my reasoning:

1) SYRIZA is a party that has not been tried in government and has virtually no support in the mainstream media. As such, I think SYRIZA is relatively free from the corruption and vested interests that plague Greece's political life.

2) SYRIZA is a left-wing party, with a realistic chance of being in government. On the same reasoning, I would vote for Democratic Left, had it managed to achieve the same momentum.

I'd like to expand on the second point a bit. I prefer a left-wing party to a right-wing one, not because I believe there is no value to be found in right-wing ideology - in other words, I am not a blind adherent of any one ideology. I do, however, believe that in this moment in time left-wing politics are more consistent and relevant with regards to: a) explaining the situations we find ourselves in (not only in Greece, but globally), and b) offering solutions with long-term potential. Furthermore, and where in Greece in particular is concerned, I don't believe that at the moment there exists a Greek right-wing option with even minimal merit.

The above point about ideology aside, my vote for SYRIZA would primarily be a pragmatic one. I don't expect any party at this point to implement any particular ideology or to strictly stick to any particular manifesto. I am fully aware of the fact that, at this moment in time, any party in government will have to do things incrementally, one step at a time, under unstable circumstances which will guide and shape their actions every step of the way.

4.30pm: Half an hour left till polls close. Is there going to be a last minute surge in voting?

4.37pm: It looks like the answer to the question I posed in the previous update (will there be a last minute surge in voting?) is "yes".

5.01pm: The polls have closed. Exit polls make it too close to call

5.05pm: Here's results of another poll, which puts the margin between the two frontrunners at just 0.5%.

5.13pm: Athens News has an observation from a pollster, who concludes, based on the exit polls, no party will win an overall majority.

You could probably guess that yourself given the closeness of the exit polls but remember that in Greece, the party with the most votes gets a bonus of an extra 50 seats.

5.21pm: Here are some more interesting exit/opinion poll-related tweets

5.53pm: Whether or not Syriza turns out to be the biggest party the exit polls tell us that it is a stunning result for its leader Alexis Tsiparis.

The party won just 4.6% of the vote in 2009, when Pasok got 43.9% and New Democracy 33.5%.

In May, Syriza got just under 17% and now exit polls are suggesting it is on course for between 27.5% and 30.5%. Tsipras, just 38, was was barely known beyond the borders of his homeland six weeks ago. As upturns in political fortunes go, there can be few to match it.

6.01pm: Jo Adetunji taking over from Haroon on the Greece elections coverage this eve.

The polls are now closed and the count begins. All the exit polls suggest it is neck and neck between the conservative New Democracy party, headed by Antonis Samaras and the radical left coalition Syriza, headed by Alexis Tsipras.

Angela Merkel, François Hollande and Mario Monti have delayed their trip to the G20 summit in Mexico. Merkel, who like the rest of Europe awaits the results of this second election, may be making a statement later on.

6.13pm: Too close to call and with some exit polls suggesting only half a point between New Democracy and Syriza. Will Greece find itself in the same situation again?

One thing that Angela Merkel must be considering is whether she and the EU can soften the terms of the austerity package. Antonis Samaras from New Democracy has shown support for the bailout deal but has said it would look to renogotiate.

Alexis Tsipras believes that EU leaders will not enforce austerity measures because of the possible negative financial effect that a default would have on the rest of the euro zone. Tsipras will essentially be calling their bluff.

Either way, Merkel will seriously have consider whether to insist on terms or renegotiate.

6.28pm: Any one party would need 36-38% of the vote to form a workable majority. Ordinarily this would be 51% but a bonus 50 seats will given to the party in the lead, bringing the percentage down.

6.31pm: Greek Skai Television has given its first seats prediction

6.36pm: Sky News reporter says there is a rumour going around the Syriza camp that Alexis Tsipras's wife has just given birth to their second child. A metaphor perhaps?

6.40pm: Greece has enough funds to last for public services until the 20th July says Ed Conway, BBC economics editor.

Whatever the outcome of the election, Greece still needs to meet some agreed structural reforms by the end of June.

6.44pm: A new Greek exit poll is putting New Democracy marginally ahead.

6.50pm: Just in from from Helena Smith, our correspondent in Athens, on what happens if the Greeks again return no party with an outright majority.

The inability of any party to win an outright majority, and the strength of the turnout for Syriza, will ensure that Greece's attempt to refind political equilibrium at a time of deepening economic paralysis will be anything but easy. New Democracy may well win and is already discussing who the prime minister of a coalition government will be.

But even if a government is formed by tomorrow evening – and there is almost no Greek who after six weeks of political paralysis does not want to see an administration being sworn in asap – the big question is whether it can fulfill the conditions to keep rescue funds flowing into an economy that is on its knees. Under the terms of the debt-stricken country's latest EU-IMF backed bailout package, Athens must meet a number of deeply unpopular austerity and structural reforms by the end of the month.

7.02pm: More on that new poll. The Greece interior ministry has put New Democracy on 31.1% and Syriza on 25.4% after 15% of the votes counted. A caveat however - results are more likely skewed to the right because rural areas go first. Athens is likely to push this again towards the left.

7.08pm: Greek web radio and online community, Radiobubble, has this:

First results show left-wing Syriza ahead in the following areas: Attiki, Achaia, Kerkyra, Lasithi, Chania, Heraklion, Rethymno.

New Democracy along with Pasok can form a coalition government securing 159 seats.

7.10pm: One of the biggest tensions in Greece has been the overwhelming desire to stay in the euro zone - with one recent poll saying 80% were supportive. However, the opposite is true of the austerity measures proposed by EU leaders which would secure this.

7.19pm: New Democracy could form a coalition with Pasok, but from this tweet from Radiobubble's Spyros Gkelis suggests might not happen.

7.29pm: Whatever happens, the success of the Syriza coalition is without doubt. The party won just 4.6% of the vote in 2009, when Pasok got 43.9% and New Democracy 33.5%.

In May, Syriza it got just under 17% and now exit polls suggesting it's on course for between 27.5% and 30.5%.

Ian Traynor, the Guardian's Europe editor, believes it a moral victory.

7.36pm: The official projection figures for the election have now been announced by Greece's interior ministry. Greek pollster, Marika Lambrou, said this:

There will be seven parties in the next parliament, as was the case on 6 May. There will be no upset in the order of the parties but there has been a "considerable increase" in the number of votes for the two leading parties.

New Democracy will receive 29.53% of the vote, equivalent to 128 seats.
Syriza will receive 27.12% – 72 seats.
Pasok will receive 12.2% – 23 seats.
Independent Greeks will receive 7.56% – 20 seats.
Golden Dawn will receive 6.95% – 18 seats.
Democratic Left will receive 6.23% – 17 seats.
Greek Communist Party will receive 4.47% – 12 seats.

Lambrou said that the figures were unlikely to change but there would be continual flow of results as they arrive.

No other parties gained the 3% threshold needed to enter parliament.

7.44pm: You can follow Skai TV's results board here – it helpfully has a breakdown of the total number of votes counted, not just percentages.

7.50pm:While the official projection could still change, it proved highly accurate in the May election. Costas Panagopoulos of pollster Alco, said it would have declined to publish a forecast as the figures are just too close. We will see as the night wears on.

7.53pm: Horsetrading between the parties has begun:

Pasok has been publicly stating that it will not join any coalition without Syriza.

Pro-EU New Democracy on the other hand has been talking on Sky News about a "grand coalition".

Panos Kammenos, leader of the Independent Greeks, a right-wing party that could have been in line to ally with New Democracy has told the press that the party is keen to support a government that will condemn the bailout agreements – that would in effect rule out a deal with New Democracy.

8.04pm:

8.09pm: The parties in Greece it seems have accepted a win for New Democracy in Greece.

Alexis Tsipras from Syriza has reportedly called Antonis Samaras to offer his congratulations.

It seems that Syriza may be planning to mount a strong opposition rather than wait to see if New Democracy can form a coalition government. Even if it fails.

8.13pm: Amid a busy press scrum New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras has arrived in Syntagma Square in Athens, ahead of a victory speech.

8.16pm: Not a smooth start. Samaras is poised to make his speech but is having problems with the microphone.

8.26pm: Samaras has just made his speech. Here's what he had to say:

And it voted for those policies which will bring jobs, development, justice and security for Greek citizens. We will not have new adventure, we will not doubt the position of Greece in Europe. We won't be cowed by fear.

It is such a significant moment for Greece and the rest of Europe ... We will invite those parties that take in these objectives to participate in this unity ... We don't have time for small-time politics.

We must bring development into the economy and assurances that we're past the worst. We will respect the signatures and promises that we've made ... We need continuity when everything is falling – the economy, society...

Thank you to the Greek people, who in their conscience trust us in this difficult period. We didn't give populist promises. Just the truth. And we were heard.

We will have a new unity with European directives ... Our obligations the necessary policies for our governance.

We cannot continue to injure every family with government. I will be consciencious but stable. We must emerge from the crisis.

Greece must be governable and we will have a government.

He summarised his speech in English:

His party would honour commitments to the EU.
It was a victory for all Europe.
A call for all political parties that share objectives to form government.
Sacrifices of Greek people will be reflected.
Determined to do what it takes and do it fast.

8.33pm: Syntagma Square in Athens is full of people and a mass of press. Some people chanting "he's the prime minister [Samaras]" according a Sky News reporter, who says the tone is subdued – no overt celebrations or protest.

Samaras now meeting supporters.

8.42pm:Alexis Syriza has also given a speech, talking of "psychological terrorism" of the parties of yesterday.

"We're proud we lifted this weight and carried this responsibility. We're thankful for the support."

He said Syriza's results showed "a singular achievement" in Greece's recent history.

"Syriza is the basic party for anti-bailout."

"I called Samaras and congratulated him. He has the possibility of forming a government on the basis of his mandate and policies.

We will be present in developments in position as opposition. In a strong presence of Syriza, we won't sacrifice our position.

The government must take action for the benefit of the country. [The bailout] has not been legally accepted by the people.

In a month and a half, we'll have to face [the conditions of the bailout]."

In a warning to New Democracy, Tsipras, said:


"The government, the New Democracy, must bear in mind great issues – it can't carry on as it used to without taking the people."

In an echo to Samaras' speech, in which he called twice for justice for Greek citizens, Tsipras said:

We'll find our own justice. We propose to upset the measures and the bailout. It's the only viable option for Europe.

He said that from Monday, the party would "continue in our struggle" not for those on the side of "terrorism" but for those on the side of "hope".

9.02pm: Here's a summary of events in Greece so far:

• A winner hasn't been officially announced but after official projections were announced, New Democracy has been accepted as gaining the most votes. The evening saw a rash of exit polls that showed New Democracy and radical left-wing party Syriza neck and neck.

• New Democracy's Antonis Samaras has given an acceptance speech, confirming support for the EU and inviting like-minded parties to form a coalition.

• Syriza's Alexis Tsipras has called to give his congratulations but has warned of the dangers of not having popular support. He said the party would begin a strong position as opposition from Monday

• Horsetrading between the parties has begun. Pasok has said it won't form a government without Syriza. Syriza has indicated (see above) that it would prefer a spell in opposition. The Independent Greeks, who were one option for New Democracy, have said they keen to support a government that will condemn the bailout agreements.

9.17pm: It seems Samaras has already begun.

9.18pm: They may have lost out to New Democracy but Syriza will mount a stong opposition. One commentator believes Alexis Tspiras's move will give Greece some of the equilibrium it needs. No one wants to see Greece without a government.

Syriza supporters also happy with results in some areas. This picture from the Guardian's Jon Henley in Zakynthos:

9.24pm: Guardian city editor Jill Treanor has been looking at some early analysis of the results coming in from City analysts.

Alberto Gallo, head of European macro credit research at Royal Bank of Scotland, said the election result "should give some time to Greece" although it will still be hard for the country to meet the targets set under the current terms of its bailout.

"If the country had not had a government there would have been a very
strong risk of even greater deposit flight," said Gallo.

Some €44bn had been withdrawn from Greek banks between April 2011 and 2012, according to Bank of Greece. "That may now reduce," Gallo said. He noted that what was needed was a leaner banking system and
cross-border guarantees inside the EU.

"The system is exposed to deposit movement. It is very cheap to move your money [within the eurozone]", he said. A Greek exit may now be put off. "The risk has moved towards next year," he said.

9.55pm: They say football has the power to bring people together.

With tensions between citizens in Germany and Greece over the Greek bailout comes this: the two are to play each other in their next match in the Euro 2012 competition.

10.10pm: The White House has congratulated Greece but has called for "timely progress" on economic issues.

In a statement, Jay Carney, president Obama's press secretary, said: "We congratulate the Greek people on conducting their election in this difficult time. We hope this election will lead quickly to the formation of a new government that can make timely progress on the economic challenges facing the Greek people. As president Obama and other world leaders have said, we believe that it is in all our interests for Greece to remain in the euro area while respecting its commitment to reform."

10.22pm: Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, has been giving sending some inclusive tweets about Greece.

He says: "We will continue to stand by Greece‬ as a member of the EU family and the Euro‬ area. We stand ready to continue assisting Greece."

Also: "The 2nd economic adjustment programme agreed between Greece‬ & Eurogroup‬ is the basis upon which to build to foster growth."

Not all responses to that second remark have been positive.

10.29pm: A joint statement from Herman Van Rompuy and José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission:

The Greek people have spoken. We fully respect its democratic choice. We are hopeful that the election results will allow a government to be formed quickly.

Today, we salute the courage and resilience of the Greek citizens, fully aware of the sacrifices which are demanded from them to redress the Greek economy and build new, sustainable growth for the country.

We will continue to stand by Greece as a member of the EU family and of the Euro area.

We look forward to work with the new government and to support the continued efforts of Greece to put its economy on a sustainable path.

The second economic adjustment programme agreed between Greece and the Eurogroup is the basis upon which to build to foster growth, prosperity and jobs for the Greek people. We stand ready to continue assisting Greece in achieving these goals.

10.31pm: 9.48pm: Some headlines from the British press on Greece, courtesy of the BBC's Nick Sutton:

10.42pm: Some international headlines:

Kathimerini: "ND wins faces challenge to govern"

New York Times: "New Democracy leads vote, easing fears of euro exit"

Der Spiegel online: "New Democracy looks set to win Greek election"

Washington Post: "Pro-bailout party wins Greek vote"

Corriere Della Serra: "Greece, the conservative pro-euro party first. With the pro-euro socialist majority"

El Pais: "Supporters of the rescue win elections in Greece"

10.49pm: 10.40pm: Syriza may have come second but Alexis Tsipras and his supporters don't seem to have noticed.

Our correspondent Helena Smith says a euphoric Tsipras has been addressing supporters – and ignoring congratulatory statements world leaders have been sending to the "pro-European" new Democracy party.

The far-left Syriza party may have come second but there is growing evidence tonight that "first is second."

Speaking before thousands of cheering supporters waving red and white flags (some emblazoned with the hammer and sickle) outside Athens' ornate university building Tsipras told the crowd: "Some may think that they won the elections tonight but they did not. The people won. The policies of austerity have been defeated. They will not be able to push forward with them either in Greece or Europe."

Tsipras, who turns 38 next month, was joined on the stage by the World War II hero Manolis Glezos who in a first act of resistance against Nazi rule tore down the swastika from the Acropolis. The 92-year-old hailed the left's capture of 27.1% of the vote as "the beginning of the end."

"Who would have thought, or calculated, that we would go from 4.6% to this?" he enthused punching the air with his fist. "We must raise the flag, the flag of victory."

10.50pm: The Guardian's Lizzy Davies has been talking to citizen journalists at the RadioBubble headquarters.

I've come to the citizen journalism HQ of Athens (aka Radio Bubble) to hear how people are feeling in the aftermath of tonight's results. I spoke to three people, all of whom voted Syriza. None wanted their surnames to be published.
Silia said she was disappointed in her fellow Greeks. "They've elected the ones who lie to them again and again," she said. "It was the dirtiest campaign of all ages. And it seems it worked. That is something I find really frustrating. I'm 100% sure that every one of their [ND's] voters is going to regret it in a few months. I don't say that with joy."

She thinks there will be more elections in under a year – by which time, she hopes, Syriza will have become stronger. In the meantime Antonis Samaras's nationalist leanings will cause problems with Greece's neighbours and with its immigrants, she said. "The only thing that really, really makes me sad is because with that guy in power the Golden Dawn will have a party. We are going to experience some very rough months."

Nikos, a freelance journalist who helps out at both Radio Bubble and a citizen journalism project called MindTheCam, which was born out of the Syntagma protests, also thinks there could be new elections if the wrangling continues – perhaps even by mid-July. Either that, he says, or Greece would get an unstable government full of "unwilling" MPs who were prepared to vote down government legislation. Nikos blamed a smear campaign for feeding anti-Syriza propaganda but admits that even he thinks they were not necessarily ready to govern. Might there even be a modicum of relief in the party HQ tonight? "I think there will be some relief but I think they'll have a tactic of relentless fighting against New Democracy," he said. "I think this election will not give [ND] approval. This election will see Syriza even stronger because of the stance it's going to take [against ND]."

10.51pm: Lizzy Davies has more from Yiannis, a 49-year-old journalist.

Yiannis said that the party he voted for – Syriza – wasn't, in his opinion, "ready for power". "But I know most of them, not all, and they wanted to try," he said. "The first left government in Greece ever. In the end now we're going to have one of those governments that has been running Greece for 38 years. And I'm sure there will be more austerity coming."

Yiannis voted Syriza because he wanted "a big change". And that is exactly what he has not got. Two kinds of people had voted for ND, he said – those acting out of "fear of the new" and those motivated by interests connected to Greece's rampant clientelism. Old habits, he said, die hard.

"An old person called me from a village the other day. They were saying, 'you know this party, Syriza? They have to take care of us'. For 38 years these parties took corruption from the top level right down to the lowest."

10.52pm: I'm now going to be wrapping up the liveblog. The elections may have resulted in a win for the conservative New Democracy party, but there's been fighting talk from Alexis Tspiras of Syriza, which came a very close second. He sees the party in a strong place as opposition.

This is only the beginning for New Democracy, forming a coalition is not going to be easy – as Syriza found last time around.

The US and the EU have been issuing supportive statements on Greece but have called for timely progress.

Antonis Samaras has three days to form a new government. If he fails, it falls to Syriza. If they pass, it falls to Pasok in third place. For many, a worst case scenario would see new elections. But as Tsipras's statement indicates, he, as others, are keen to find some kind of stability. When it comes to the euro, for now it seems, that may happen.

You can read a short summary of the evening's events here.

Jo Adetunji
Haroon Siddique

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