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Tsipras certain of 2nd Greek mandate
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Greece鈥檚 outgoing leftwing prime minister Alexis Tsipras yesterday declared he was confident of winning a second mandate for a 鈥渇ighting government鈥 to reform and revive the crisis-hit nation鈥檚 economy, as voters cast ballots in a knife-edge race.
With voting underway under sunny skies in a tight race between Tsipras鈥 Syriza party and the conservatives, the boyish leftwinger said: 鈥淭he Greek people... will take their future into their own hands... and seal the transition to a new era.鈥
After a tumultuous seven months in office, Tsipras resigned in August and called snap elections, gambling crisis-weary Greeks would give him a strong mandate despite being forced to continue with austerity measures.
The 41-year-old, who cast his ballot in the Athens working-class district of Kypseli, faces a strong challenge from the conservative New Democracy party led by ex-defense minister Vangelis Meimarakis, with eve-of-election polls giving Tsipras a slight edge.
Greek voters will elect 鈥渁 fighting government鈥 ready for the 鈥渃onfrontations necessary to move forward with reforms鈥, said Tsipras, who in July agreed more punishing austerity for the nation in exchange for its third financial rescue in five years.
Over eight hours into the vote, the turnout seemed lower than the last election, AFP said.
Ballots close at 1600 GMT, when exit polls will be released, with first official results after 1800 GMT.
Casting his vote, 61-year-old Meimarakis, a bushy eye-browed former defense minister who has campaigned largely against the instability of the seven-month Tsipras government, said: 鈥淰oters want to send away ... the lies, the misery, the posers and bring truth and real people.鈥
Over 9.8 million Greeks were registered to vote for a new government which, whoever wins, will face the tough task of pushing through painful new tax increases and pension reforms agreed under a three-year bailout deal adopted across-the-board by parliament last month.
Tsipras, who was elected in January on an anti-austerity platform, angered many in Greece by agreeing the deal for a new 86-billion-euro (US$97 billion) international rescue.
鈥淕reeks wanted to try out Syriza but saw the results, they鈥檙e a bunch of liars,鈥 58-year-old conservative voter Marika Geraki said.
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