GREECE-ELECTION/MORE VOTING Greeks queue to vote as Europe watches nervously

Record ID: 629438

  • Title: GREECE-ELECTION/MORE VOTING Greeks queue to vote as Europe watches nervously
  • Date: 25th January 2015
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JANUARY 25, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF A SCHOOL USED AS A POLLING STATION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING PEOPLE INSIDE WAITING TO VOTE MAN QUEUING MAN REGISTERING ELECTORAL CLERK CROSSING OFF NAME OF VOTER WOMEN CASTING BALLOT BALLOT PAPERS IN BOX MAN EMERGING FROM POLLING BOOTH AND CASTING BALLOT BOOK COVERING BALLOT BOX SLOT AFTER MAN CASTS VOTE BALLOT PAPERS
  • Embargoed: 9th February 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9UBH8WKI70ROG0CD8R4CS63C9
  • Story Text: Greek voters queued to cast their ballots on Sunday (January 25) in an election expected to bring in a government led by the left-wing Syriza party, which has pledged to take on international lenders and roll back painful austerity measures.
    Barring a huge upset, victory for Syriza, which has led opinion polls for months, would produce the first eurozone government openly committed to writing off debt and renegotiating its EU-backed bailout deal.
    Combined with last week's announcement by the European Central Bank of a massive injection of cash into the bloc's flagging economy, it would represent a turning point for Europe after years trying to fight the slump by clamping down on budgets and pushing countries to pass structural reforms.
    With 9.8 million Greeks eligible to vote at almost 20,000 polling stations in schools around the country, voting was brisk in the capital Athens.
    "My criteria were their policies, and I hope the country will emerge from the misery it is in," said Katerina, a 59-year-old retired woman.
    Greece's economy last year emerged from recession for the first time in six years and unemployment has begun to come down slightly, but it may be years before the country recovers.
    Greeks have seen their pensions and salaries drastically cut and are hoping the snap election will deliver a government that will revive the country's fortunes.
    "I hope for the best for the country, and my criteria is that we need things to change," Vasiliki Roukoula, a 48-year-old dental technician.
    "Definitely, it would be good for change to happen whether this government remains or we have another government. But undoubtedly the previous course needs to change; we can't continue on this course," said Christophoros Mandouvakis, a 45-year-old civil engineer.
    "The issue is, as a country we've been through many ups and downs, and I believe it is time for something better to be done. Now, with which party this will happen, we will see tonight," said 40-year-old Stavros Sakouris.
    Polls are due to close at 7p.m. (1700GMT) and the first exit polls are expected immediately after voting ends, with the first official projections due at 9.30 p.m. (1930GMT) with results being updated into the night.
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