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Greece referendum result: How to find out whether Greeks voted yes or no on bailout deal
Greece debt crisis live: Varoufakis in shock resignation after Greeks reject EU bailout offer
(about 14 hours later)
Greece has voted in a referendum on its future - deciding whether to accept an EU bailout offer that involves more years of austerity, or risk being forced out of the eurozone altogether.
Here are the latest updates:
Polling stations will close at 7pm Greek time (5pm BST), with the first results expected shortly after.
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And with the result predicted to have major ramifications across the eurozone, many will be hoping to follow them as they come in. The Greek government has set up two websites specifically for the vote - one with a countdown and information beforehand, the other to provide the results region-by-region here.
An emergency summit could be held in Brussels this week following the victory of the Greek government on Sunday night when the country voted against austerity.
The vote is on whether the Greek people want to accept the budget cuts set out by the three lending bodies set out on June 25 in return for aid.
The final results of the Greek vote showed 61.3 per cent had voted No against the 38.7 per cent who voted Yes.
Unofficially, it has become about whether Greece still wants to be part of the Eurozone.
“The Greek people today gave an answer to what [kind of Europe] we want. What we want is a Europe of solidarity,” Greek leader Alexis Tsipras said.
Despite the Greek government's assertion that a "no" vote will not lead to a euro exit, most people agree it would open up more uncertain outcomes, especially if the ECB halts its life-support measures to Greece's banks.
But despite the victory of the Syriz party, Greece still may be cut off by the EU, which would force it to start printing its own currency once more once.
A number of European politicians, including Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the top eurozone official, have said a "no" vote would jeopardize Greece's place in the euro. Others, such as the leaders of France and Italy, appear to be holding the door ajar for further talks.
A surprise casualty of the referendum has been Greece’s finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, who quit despite the country voting against austerity.
But investors are likely to be that a "no" vote increases the chance of a Greek exit from the euro, or "Grexit."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande are expected to meet on Monday night as the result of the vote threatens the biggest crisis in the EU’s history.
The word 'Grexit' has dominated the past months of negotiations on Greece. But the country will not return to the drachma — Greece's former currency — immediately. Rather, the risk increases the longer there is a deadlock in talks. Without a deal and without money, Greece will default on more of its debt repayments and will not be able to pay salaries or pensions. The banks will run dry, even with the cash withdrawal limits.
In such a case, printing a new currency may be the only option available, which almost everyone thinks will be a short-term disaster for the Greek economy.
A "yes" vote backing the reform proposals creditors had made would likely see Greece turn immediately to talks on a new rescue package. Whether that leads to a swift deal that might allow Greece to reopen its banks and restore a semblance of normality is another question.
The government has said it will respect the verdict. Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has said he'll resign in the event of a "yes" vote and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has hinted as much. If the government does not collapse, it could try to build a new coalition with other parties, Varoufakis hinted.
It's not clear, however, if that would involve new elections. That would take time and without financial assistance, Greece would surely go bankrupt.
Greece is no longer in a bailout program since its previous package expired. So it would have to negotiate a new one with its creditors that involves more money for the government and the banks and new economic austerity measures. That is unlikely to be agreed on overnight, meaning the banking restrictions on money withdrawals and transfers may remain in place for longer than anticipated.
Varoufakis says banks will reopen Tuesday whatever the referendum's outcome. That's unlikely to happen unless the European Central Bank agrees to increase the credit to Greek banks.
An additional difficulty is that the International Monetary Fund has said it will not get involved in a third bailout unless it includes substantive debt relief for Greece. The Europeans, on the other hand, have ruled out debt relief until Greece makes its reforms.
