Greeks return to polls in new election

Voting has begun in Greece`s general election, with opinion polls indicating a tight race between the left-wing incumbent Syriza party and the conservative New Democracy, reports BBC.

The snap election, Greece`s fifth in six years, was called after Syriza lost its parliamentary majority in August.

Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras`s popularity plummeted after he agreed a new bailout deal with European leaders.

The bailout involved austerity measures which Syriza had vowed to oppose.

Greece is mired in a deep financial crisis and whoever wins Sunday`s election will have to oversee further tough economic reforms.

The BBC`s Richard Galpin in Athens says whichever party wins is unlikely to get enough seats to form a government alone.

That could mean a period of political instability just as deadlines loom for the implementation of a series of key financial reforms, he adds.