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| Greek election: Tsipras promises ballot-weary voters 'fighting government' | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Leftist Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras asked weary Greek voters to deliver a “fighting government” capable of “moving forward with difficult reforms” as he cast his ballot in the country’s close-run election, the fifth in six years. | Leftist Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras asked weary Greek voters to deliver a “fighting government” capable of “moving forward with difficult reforms” as he cast his ballot in the country’s close-run election, the fifth in six years. |
| “The Greek people will take their future into their own hands ... and seal the transition to a new era,” Tsipras said after voting in the working-class Athens district of Kypseli. “I’m confident.” | “The Greek people will take their future into their own hands ... and seal the transition to a new era,” Tsipras said after voting in the working-class Athens district of Kypseli. “I’m confident.” |
| Related: Greek election: Tsipras asks for new mandate as parties prepare for tight poll - live updates | |
| Last-minute polling put Tsipras a point or two ahead of his centre-right rival, Vangelis Meimarakis of New Democracy, but the advantage was within pollsters’ margins of error and neither party looked likely to secure an outright majority. | Last-minute polling put Tsipras a point or two ahead of his centre-right rival, Vangelis Meimarakis of New Democracy, but the advantage was within pollsters’ margins of error and neither party looked likely to secure an outright majority. |
| Whoever wins will have the same daunting to-do list, both leaders having already committed to implementing the draconian terms of Greece’s latest €86bn bailout: a radical overhaul of the country’s shattered economy and major changes to its welfare, pensions, health and taxation systems. | Whoever wins will have the same daunting to-do list, both leaders having already committed to implementing the draconian terms of Greece’s latest €86bn bailout: a radical overhaul of the country’s shattered economy and major changes to its welfare, pensions, health and taxation systems. |
| Fresh funds will not be released unless the cash-for-reforms programme is implemented, with progress – in the form of about 120 new laws by the end of the year – to be reviewed quarterly by Greece’s international creditors. | Fresh funds will not be released unless the cash-for-reforms programme is implemented, with progress – in the form of about 120 new laws by the end of the year – to be reviewed quarterly by Greece’s international creditors. |
| Related: Greek election 2015: everything you need to know | |
| “It’s a strange election, very frustrating, profoundly undemocratic, because the big policy questions have been decided so we can’t express our political will,” said George Papanikolaou, a genetics lecturer, among a thin straggle of morning voters at a central Athens polling station. “It’s about micromanagement issues, not vision.” | “It’s a strange election, very frustrating, profoundly undemocratic, because the big policy questions have been decided so we can’t express our political will,” said George Papanikolaou, a genetics lecturer, among a thin straggle of morning voters at a central Athens polling station. “It’s about micromanagement issues, not vision.” |
| Tsipras swept to victory in January pledging to “eradicate” austerity, but after months of sometimes brutal negotiations, with capital controls in place and ejection from the eurozone looming, the youthful 41-year-old premier was forced to perform an about-turn. | Tsipras swept to victory in January pledging to “eradicate” austerity, but after months of sometimes brutal negotiations, with capital controls in place and ejection from the eurozone looming, the youthful 41-year-old premier was forced to perform an about-turn. |
| The government’s ultimate acceptance of the deal, despite more than 60% of voters rejecting austerity in a July referendum, has left legions of its supporters feeling betrayed – although many still believe Tsipras, despite his mistakes, represents a necessary break with corrupt past regimes. | The government’s ultimate acceptance of the deal, despite more than 60% of voters rejecting austerity in a July referendum, has left legions of its supporters feeling betrayed – although many still believe Tsipras, despite his mistakes, represents a necessary break with corrupt past regimes. |
| Students Xenia Stoumpou, 23, and Valerian Portokalis, 25, said they had opted for Syriza because Tsipras deserved a second chance. “He only had seven months in office, and for almost all that time he was completely occupied with the negotiations,” Portokalis said. | Students Xenia Stoumpou, 23, and Valerian Portokalis, 25, said they had opted for Syriza because Tsipras deserved a second chance. “He only had seven months in office, and for almost all that time he was completely occupied with the negotiations,” Portokalis said. |
| “At least he tried to do something for us. And we really don’t want a return to the old parties that governed Greece for so long. Tsipras is a genuine break form all that. It’s just too soon to judge him.” | “At least he tried to do something for us. And we really don’t want a return to the old parties that governed Greece for so long. Tsipras is a genuine break form all that. It’s just too soon to judge him.” |
| With policy issues largely off the agenda, the electoral campaign has focused mainly on personalities and on past records. Meimarakis, a blunt-spoken 61-year-old former defence minister and parliamentary speaker, accused Tsipras of youthful inexperience and, worse, rank incompetence. | With policy issues largely off the agenda, the electoral campaign has focused mainly on personalities and on past records. Meimarakis, a blunt-spoken 61-year-old former defence minister and parliamentary speaker, accused Tsipras of youthful inexperience and, worse, rank incompetence. |
| The Syriza leader had held out “false promises” about being able end the punishing austerity measures that have seen Greece’s economy shrink by a quarter and left nearly 26% of its workforce unemployed, claimed Meimarakis, whose efforts to move his party more towards the centre ground were rewarded with an unexpected bounce in its popularity. | The Syriza leader had held out “false promises” about being able end the punishing austerity measures that have seen Greece’s economy shrink by a quarter and left nearly 26% of its workforce unemployed, claimed Meimarakis, whose efforts to move his party more towards the centre ground were rewarded with an unexpected bounce in its popularity. |
| Tsipras in turn argued that Meimarakis is a diehard representative of the mainstream parties that led Greece over the fiscal cliff and into the economic abyss. Voters must must turn their backs on self-interest and the “oligarch establishment” that brought the country to its knees, he said. | Tsipras in turn argued that Meimarakis is a diehard representative of the mainstream parties that led Greece over the fiscal cliff and into the economic abyss. Voters must must turn their backs on self-interest and the “oligarch establishment” that brought the country to its knees, he said. |
| Neither party looks likely to secure the roughly 38% share of the vote needed for an outright majority in Greece’s 300-seat parliament. Whoever wins will need the support of perhaps two smaller parties, leaving coalition talks – most likely with the other main pro-European parties, the centrist To Potami and socialist Pasok – a near certainty. | Neither party looks likely to secure the roughly 38% share of the vote needed for an outright majority in Greece’s 300-seat parliament. Whoever wins will need the support of perhaps two smaller parties, leaving coalition talks – most likely with the other main pro-European parties, the centrist To Potami and socialist Pasok – a near certainty. |
| Tsipras has repeatedly ruled out collaborating with New Democracy, an option Meimarakis has held out. Greece’s creditors have hinted they would favour a “grand coalition” which might enjoy the broad backing that will be needed to implement the bailout reforms. | Tsipras has repeatedly ruled out collaborating with New Democracy, an option Meimarakis has held out. Greece’s creditors have hinted they would favour a “grand coalition” which might enjoy the broad backing that will be needed to implement the bailout reforms. |
| But Syriza and New Democracy would in all likelihood make uneasy bedfellows, disagreeing profoundly on several key issues including freeing up the Greek labour market, collective bargaining and immigration. | But Syriza and New Democracy would in all likelihood make uneasy bedfellows, disagreeing profoundly on several key issues including freeing up the Greek labour market, collective bargaining and immigration. |
| Several voters said they were unsure how to cast their ballot even while they were climbing the polling station steps. “They’re all as bad as each other,” said Yannis Fotopoulos. “Either they look after themselves and their friends, or they break their promises. My pension has been cut by a third, that’s all I care about.” | Several voters said they were unsure how to cast their ballot even while they were climbing the polling station steps. “They’re all as bad as each other,” said Yannis Fotopoulos. “Either they look after themselves and their friends, or they break their promises. My pension has been cut by a third, that’s all I care about.” |
| About 9.8m Greeks, many suffering election fatigue, are eligible to cast their ballot. In theory, voting is compulsory but the rule is not enforced; turnout for this election is thought likely to fall below the 64% recorded in January. | About 9.8m Greeks, many suffering election fatigue, are eligible to cast their ballot. In theory, voting is compulsory but the rule is not enforced; turnout for this election is thought likely to fall below the 64% recorded in January. |
| Polls close at 7pm local time (5pm BST), when the major Greek TV stations will broadcast their exit polls. The main results – which is the biggest party, and who has how many seats – should be clear by about 10pm local time. | Polls close at 7pm local time (5pm BST), when the major Greek TV stations will broadcast their exit polls. The main results – which is the biggest party, and who has how many seats – should be clear by about 10pm local time. |