Polls Show Greek Left, Right Candidates Neck and Neck

UPDATE: The official projection figures for the election have now been announced by Greece's interior ministry. Greek pollster, Marika Lambrou, said this:

There will be seven parties in the next parliament, as was the case on 6 May. There will be no upset in the order of the parties but there has been a "considerable increase" in the number of votes for the two leading parties.

New Democracy will receive 29.53% of the vote, equivalent to 128 seats.

Syriza will receive 27.12% - 72 seats.

Pasok will receive 12.2% - 23 seats.

Independent Greeks will receive 7.56% - 20 seats.

Golden Dawn will receive 6.95% - 18 seats.

Democratic Left will receive 6.23% - 17 seats.

Greek Communist Party will receive 4.47% - 12 seats.

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In Greece's pivotal election, polls have now closed. Exit polls were now showing the two leading parties, the leftist Syriza party and pro-bailout New Democracy party nearly tied.

Some early exit polls show 27.5 percent to 30.5 percent of the vote for Antonis Samaras' New Democracy, with Alexis Tsipras' Syriza nearly the same at 27 to 30 percent. However, some Tweeters are remarking that the younger voters tend to vote last and vote left.

Costas Douzinas and Joanna Bourke write today that the fear campaign to vote against the anti-austerity Syriza has been widespread, also noting the "campaign of fear and blackmail against the democratic right of Greeks to elect a government of their choice."

Samaris has called Syriza's anti-austerity position "dangerous" and "irresponsible," which puts him in the company of the European financial elite who have stated there would be disastrous consequences if Syriza won.

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See The Guardian's Greek election blog.

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STOPCARTEL TV is reporting on the results live from Athens as they come in: