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| Greece election: Radical Syriza party set for big poll victory | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Anti-austerity left-wing party Syriza is heading for a substantial victory in Greece's general election, official projections say. | Anti-austerity left-wing party Syriza is heading for a substantial victory in Greece's general election, official projections say. |
| The party is projected to win about 150 seats, just one short of an absolute majority, though officials say that number could change. | The party is projected to win about 150 seats, just one short of an absolute majority, though officials say that number could change. |
| The ruling New Democracy party is projected to come a distant second. | The ruling New Democracy party is projected to come a distant second. |
| Syriza's Alexis Tsipras has pledged to renegotiate Greece's debt arrangement with international creditors. | Syriza's Alexis Tsipras has pledged to renegotiate Greece's debt arrangement with international creditors. |
| He has also vowed to reverse many of the austerity measures adopted by Greece since a series of bailouts began in 2010. | He has also vowed to reverse many of the austerity measures adopted by Greece since a series of bailouts began in 2010. |
| PM Antonis Samaras has admitted defeat and phoned Mr Tsipras to congratulate him. | |
| "The Greek people have spoken and I respect their decision," he said during a news conference., pointing out that he had inherited a "hot potato" on coming into office and that he and his party had done much to restore his country's finances. | |
| The result is being closely watched outside Greece, where it is believed a Syriza victory could encourage radical leftist parties across Europe. | The result is being closely watched outside Greece, where it is believed a Syriza victory could encourage radical leftist parties across Europe. |
| Earlier, exit polls indicated that Syriza took between 36% and 38% of the total vote, with the ruling New Democracy party a distant second with 26%-28%. | Earlier, exit polls indicated that Syriza took between 36% and 38% of the total vote, with the ruling New Democracy party a distant second with 26%-28%. |
| "There is an ongoing thriller surrounding the absolute majority," said Michalis Karyotoglou, head of Singular Logic, the software group monitoring the voting process for the interior ministry. | "There is an ongoing thriller surrounding the absolute majority," said Michalis Karyotoglou, head of Singular Logic, the software group monitoring the voting process for the interior ministry. |
| Either way however, partial results from Greece's election commission showed a clear Syriza lead. | Either way however, partial results from Greece's election commission showed a clear Syriza lead. |
| 'Historic victory' | 'Historic victory' |
| Syriza hailed the exit polls as "a return of social dignity and social justice". | Syriza hailed the exit polls as "a return of social dignity and social justice". |
| "What's clear is we have a historic victory that sends a message that does not only concern the Greek people, but all European peoples," spokesman Panos Skourletis told Greek television. | "What's clear is we have a historic victory that sends a message that does not only concern the Greek people, but all European peoples," spokesman Panos Skourletis told Greek television. |
| Far-right Golden Dawn and centrist The River came joint third in exit polls. | |
| The proportion of votes won by smaller parties will have a large impact on whether Syriza can gain the required 151 parliamentary seats to have an absolute majority. | The proportion of votes won by smaller parties will have a large impact on whether Syriza can gain the required 151 parliamentary seats to have an absolute majority. |
| Who are Syriza and what do they stand for? |