Greeks call for vote in legislative elections with uncertain outcome

ATHENS (Reuters) – Greeks are being called to the polls on Sunday for a general election with an uncertain outcome as no party has been able to win a majority.

The ruling conservative New Democracy party, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is credited in polls with 31–38% of the vote, ahead of the leftist Syriza party of former head of government Alexis Tsipras, in power from 2015 to 2019. ,

Political analyst Panos Koliastays said, “The leading party needs to get 45% of the vote to win a majority in parliament, which seems relatively low.”

The cost of living crisis dominated the debate, with candidates seeking to curry favor with voters by pledging to raise the minimum wage and create jobs.

Polling stations will open at 07:00 local time (04:00 GMT) and close twelve hours later. Exit poll will be released at 4 pm.

If no party gets a majority in the first round, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou will give each of the top three parties a three-day mandate to form a government.

If they fail to do so, Katerina Sakellaropoulou will appoint a government to hold power until new elections are held, which should take place about a month later.

(Reporting by Renée Maltezou, Writing by Michel Combas; French edition by Camille Renaud)