GREEKS flocked to the polls yesterday in an election widely seen as a referendum on EU-mandated austerity.

Exit polls showed a clear win for left populist party Syriza, though it appeared touch and go as to whether its 35-39 per cent would be enough to clear the 151 seats required for a majority, with state TV channel Nerit translating the percentage to 146-158 seats.

Greece’s economy has shrunk by a quarter since the eurozone crisis began. Unemployment is at 25 per cent, with youth unemployment around 60 per cent.