Golden Dawn, Greece's far-right party, came fifth at the last election in June 2012, taking 6.9%. Despite the continuing detention of its leader, Nikos Michaloliakos, and several other MPs after the murder of an anti-racist musician, its share of the vote is projected to fall only slightly (6.4%) and it should emerge in third place.

Peter Koronaios emails: This was expected, but Syriza will have no easy task fixing things. Europe and the people who funded it are not wiling to let more debt be written off. But it is true that this debt cannot be paid off, certainly not in a depression, it would be hard to pay it off in good times. So what can be done?

Here is Pasok's Evangelos Venizelos voting in Thessaloniki. In the Samaras coalition, he served as deputy prime minister.

Image source, AP

Greek state TV shows crowds in central Athens celebrating Syriza's victory.

Outgoing Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is cheered by supporters in Athens after conceding victory in Greece's general election.

Samaras (to cheers): "We were obliged to take difficult steps. Mistakes were made but we avoided the worst. Above all I deliver a country that is a member of the EU and the euro. I told the truth to the Greek people to the very end.

"The result is not pleasant for us but it shows that New Democracy is standing up despite the very difficult measures. New Democracy, it seems, lost only two percentage points since the elections in 2012 and will play a very important role as a guarantor of stability and reforms that we need to go forward. I guarantee that I will play a role to the full."

Evangelos Venizelos, head of the socialist party Pasok, has bitterly attacked former Pasok Prime Minister George Papandreou for splitting the socialist vote by fielding his own party. Mr Papandreou had split the party "on a whim", he was quoted as saying by Greek newspaper Kathimerini.

Samaras: "We restored Greece's worth and prestige and set the foundation for development and an exit from the crisis."

Mr Samaras is speaking now live on TV.

Outgoing Prime Minister Antonis Samaras: "The Greek people have spoken and everyone respects their decision."

Mike Chambers in Crete emails: Good news that Syriza are doing well because change is what the Greeks need most. However, Alex Tsipras will have a difficult balancing act to perform. He is correct that austerity measures are not the policies to adopt to correct the economic situation, - but there is a desperate need for deep structural change to get rid of corruption, inefficiency and overmanning.

Chris Morris, BBC Europe correspondent, Athens

This is where Tsipras will make his victory speech.

Antonis Samaras, the outgoing prime minister, has phoned Alexis Tsipras to congratulate him on Syriza's victory, Syriza confirms.

Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras being greeted by supporters outside party headquarters in Athens.

Image source, Reuters

If Syriza falls just short of an outright majority, The River (Greek: To Potami) is seen as a potential coalition partner. Formed just last year, The River is centre-left in its outlook but solidly pro-European.

Casting his vote, party leader Stavros Theodorakis (seen below voting in Crete) said Greece seemed to have decided to punish the parties which had led it into the economic crisis, New Democracy and the socialist Pasok. The country now had a chance to put the country on the right course, he added, but he warned against "macho" attitudes.

Image source, Reuters

Marsia in London emails: As a Greek who has been living in the UK since 2004 I am convinced that the Greeks voted with their hearts, not with their minds. Yet, being a Greek and having spent over 20 years of my life in Greece, I know that Greek voters believe in whatever is nicely served to them... including lies and hopeful promises. All that remains to be seen is whether the intuition of the Greek people is right or wrong... They will have my support in any case.

Tony Connelly, Europe editor RTE

tweets:, external Antonis Samaras, New Democracy leader, has just called to congratulate Alexis Tsipras - Mega TV

With 40% of the vote counted, Syriza is on 35.79% and the conservative New Democracy 28.43%. The far-right Golden Dawn is in third place, followed by new centrist party The River in fourth. The communist KKE, socialist Pasok and centre-right Independent Greeks are also expected to get over the 3% bar to enter parliament.

Jasmine Coleman, BBC News Athens

tweets, external: Katia, 34, voted for Syriza for the first time this year ''because they want to change the situation and there was no hope"

All eyes are now on Alexis Tsipras, the 40-year-old Syriza leader, who is due to speak at 21:00 GMT.