This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/8289674.stm
The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Socialists claim Greek poll win | Socialists claim Greek poll win |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Greece's opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) has claimed victory in the country's snap election. | Greece's opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) has claimed victory in the country's snap election. |
| Exit polls suggest Pasok has secured between 41% and 44% of the vote and will have a parliamentary majority. | Exit polls suggest Pasok has secured between 41% and 44% of the vote and will have a parliamentary majority. |
| The ruling conservative New Democracy, party, led by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has between 34% and 37%, the polls suggest. | The ruling conservative New Democracy, party, led by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has between 34% and 37%, the polls suggest. |
| Official results from the election are not expected to be announced for several hours. | Official results from the election are not expected to be announced for several hours. |
| Pasok is expected to have won between 155 and 159 seats in the 300-seat parliament, compared with the ruling party's 94-100. | Pasok is expected to have won between 155 and 159 seats in the 300-seat parliament, compared with the ruling party's 94-100. |
| Mr Karamanlis called the election in early September, half way through his four-year term. | Mr Karamanlis called the election in early September, half way through his four-year term. |
| He said he wanted a new mandate to tackle Greece's economic problems, but his opponents say he has failed to fulfil promises to clean up public office and to modernise the country. | |
| The government has also been hit by a series of corruption scandals. | |
| Pasok's leader, George Papandreou, has promised he will build a green economy and bring in foreign experts to help Greece overcome its problems if elected. | |
| Correspondents say the build-up to the election has been lacklustre. A recent poll has also suggested nine out of 10 voters no longer trust either party. | |
| The opposition needs at least 43% of the national vote to be sure of an overall majority. | |
| Forty seats are automatically awarded to the leading party and the remaining 260 are divided by proportional representation. | |
| If no party wins outright, President Karolos Papoulias will ask the leader of the largest party to try to form a coalition government. If that fails, new elections will be called. |