9,808,760 eligible voters go to polling stations on Sunday in Greece’s most crucial elections after 1974. With preference ‘crosses’ next to the names of candidates, Greeks are voting to elect 300 members of the Parliament. They have the possibility of choice between 18 political parties and 4 coalitions.
19.400 polling stations across the country opened at 7 o’ clock in the morning and will remain open until 7 o’clock in the afternoon. Right after the ending of the voting, the Exit Polls will be announced.
100 exit poll boxes have been placed outside 35 polling stations in Attica and 65 in other areas. 8,000 questionnaires are expected to be filled.
First official projection is estimated at 9:30 pm when 25% of the votes will have been counted.
Polls of recent days have indicated a win for left-wing SYRIZA although it has not been clear whether the party, that pledged to renegotiate and write-off large part of the debt, would be able to form a majority government.
Forming a majority government has not only to do with the percentage rates the elections winner will receive but also with the percentage of the votes going to political parties that fail to pass the 3% threshold and enter the Parliament.
Most likely: Elections winner can form a majority government if it receives 38.4% of the votes, while 5% of the votes go to parties outside the parliament.
Most unlikely: Elections winner can form a majority government with 35.6% if 12% of the votes go to parties outside the Parliament
Details on the percentages needed for majority government see here.
Some Greek media report that the majority government percentage will be expected in the early morning hours of Monday, however a serious indication will be with the Exit polls.
Sunday noon already some results of claimed “Exit polls” have been posted in some Greek blogs.
The bonus of 50 Parliament seats goes to the elections winner even if the difference to the second party is one single vote.
Leaders of the political parties rushed to cast their votes in the morning, with outgoing PM Antonis Samaras to be at the polling station at 8:05 a.m.
Right after casting his vote, Samaras made a last appeal to the “undecided voters” and said:
“These elections are crucial for our future, the future of our children. Today we vote if we go with strength, safety and certainty or if we go to adventures. There is an unprecedented number of voters, they will decide for the results. I am optimist that nobody will take the risk of endanger the European course of our homeland. “
SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras stated after casting his vote:
“Today we decide whether the Troika returns on Monday to continue the policies of the destructive austerity or the dignity of the Greek people returns.”
Generally speaking the voting continues without problems, except in some aras where there have been delays due to bad weather.
PS KTG will have a live blogging short before 7 pm, of course with the Exit polls and other details.
