Greece vote set to end in stalemate Greeks voted on Sunday in a second general election set to end in stalemate, with world leaders looking for signs that the country's political parties will be able to form a government capable of implementing austerity measures agreed under its €174bn bailout deal. Private opinion polls showed that none of the parties would win a parliamentary majority. The centre-right New Democracy party had a three-point lead over the radical left Syriza coalition, but neither party would capture even 30 per cent of the vote, according to two private polls seen by the FT. But with more than 10 per cent of voters still undecided according to the same polls, Syriza could still overtake the conservatives and take a 50-seat bonus awarded under Greek electoral law to the front-running party. Syriza's threat to replace Greece's second bailout deal with the EU and International Monetary Fund with a "national reconstruction plan" if it comes to power has triggered concern that the country will lose access to further loan tranches, be forced into a disorderly default and crash out of the euro, perhaps within weeks. A delay in forming a coalition, or in the worst case, a recourse to a third election if negotiations fail, could cause Greek public finances to collapse. Officials at the finance ministry said last week that unless a delayed €1bn tranche of EU-IMF funding is paid, funds to pay pensions and public sector wages would be exhausted by July 20. Coalition talks would start on Monday, with Greek leaders under pressure from the EU to cobble together a government within 48 hours and reaffirm a commitment to the second bailout, even if they plan to seek extensions to deadlines for some reforms. The election was taking place the day before a meeting of leaders of the G20 group of advanced and emerging economies in Mexico, where the focus will be on how to prevent the collapsing Greek economy from breaking up the eurozone and destabilising the world economy. "Voters are driven in this election either by fear or by anger," said Costas Theofylaktos, a parliamentary candidate with the small Democratic Left party. "Fear pushes people towards parties that support the bailout ... Anger makes them vote for its rejection, that is for Syriza," Mr Theofylaktos said. An inconclusive election on May 6 saw Syriza almost quadruple its vote and finish in second place behind the pro-bailout New Democracy after Alexis Tsipras, its charismatic leader, pledged to tear up the bailout, yet keep Greece in the euro. The Greek daily Kathimerini warned in an editorial on Sunday: "The country is on the edge of an abyss ... the risks of a political accident, a break with our partners and lenders, a social explosion are huge." Older voters were the first to arrive at polling stations in central Athens on Sunday. The mood was gloomy outside the Peiramatiko school where several pensioners were gathered after casting their votes. "I've voted in elections and referendums since 1946 and I've never been so worried," said Angelos Adamopoulos, a retired lawyer. We are very close to catastrophe - losing our place in Europe. Evgenia Syrigou, a 75-year-old former dressmaker, said: "I'm hoping that our politicians will show they can be serious and form a government tomorrow [Monday]."