Greece election: Final campaign rallies ahead of vote

  19 September 2015    Read: 1149
Greece election: Final campaign rallies ahead of vote
Final campaign rallies have been held in Greece ahead of Sunday`s elections, with several polls giving left-wing Syriza a small lead.
But with little separating the party from conservative New Democracy, a coalition government is likely.

Syriza`s leader, Alexis Tsipras, called the snap poll after securing a multi-billion euro international bailout.

Whoever is elected will have to oversee austerity measures demanded by Greece`s creditors as part of the deal.

Syriza supporters` gathered in central Athens for the party`s final rally on Friday, in what Mr Tsipas said sent "a message of determination and victory".

"On Sunday, we`re facing a crucial referendum - to put an end to old political system, protecting oligarchs and corruption," he tweeted.

At the final New Democracy rally, its leader Vangelis Meimarakis attacked Syriza`s "false promises" in the run-up to the last election, when it pledged to end austerity.

"It`s high time we did away with incompetence. The Syriza experiment ends on Sunday," he said.

At a debate earlier in the week, Mr Meimarakis proposed forming a grand coalition with Syriza but Mr Tsipras rejected it as "unnatural".

Most of the parties support the bailout. But one of those that does not - the far-right Golden Dawn - is predicted to come third.

Analysts say the migrant crisis on Greece`s doorstep may bolster support for Golden Dawn, which is vehemently opposed to immigration.

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