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1st LD Writethru: SYRIZA leftists lead in Greek general elections: exit polls

Xinhua, September 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

Greek radical left SYRIZA party leads Sunday's general elections, according to an exit poll released with the closing of ballots.

SYRIZA was expected to win 30-34 percent of votes against 28.5-32.5 percent for the conservative New Democracy party, according to the joint estimate of five polling firms presented on national broadcaster ERT and four private television channels.

The two parties had respectively secured 36.3 percent versus 27.8 percent for ND in January's national polls.

According to the same exit poll, the far-right Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) party retains the third place, garnering 6.5-8 percent of votes (from 6.3 of the vote in the January elections).

It was trailed by the socialists of PASOK who are running with the Democratic Left this time, and the Communist party KKE which both get 5.5-7 percent fighting for the fourth place.

The Potami (River) followed with 4-5.5 percent of votes, according to the joint exit poll.

The right-wing Independent Greeks party which co-ruled with SYRIZA until August was struggling to enter the next parliament winning 3-4 percent of the votes, together with the centre-left Union of Centrists, a party which had marginal influence over the past two decades and could get 3.2-4.2 percent, according to the exit poll.

The anti-bailout Popular Unity party formed in late August by former SYRIZA MPs was garnering 2.5-3.5 percent.

Two separate exit polls conducted by the University of the northern Greek city of Macedonia for private SKAI TV and by Kappa Research for Vima (Tribune) FM and news portal in.gr gave similar projections.

In SKAI's exit poll SYRIZA leads by 31-35 over 29-33 for ND and in Kappa Research's exit poll SYRIZA holds a lead of 30-34 percent against 28-31 percent.

Under Greece's electoral system, parties need to reach the 3 percent threshold in order to enter the 300-member assembly.

If the exit polls projections will be confirmed by the official results, no party secures governing majority and therefore coalition alliances will have to be formed as of Monday to avert a second round of elections.

The first estimates based on the first official results were expected to be released after 9 p.m local time (1800 GMT). Endit