Greek exit polls: Top 2 parties neck and neck

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In an election crucial for Greece, Europe and the world, exit polls on Sunday showed the two top contenders in Greece to be neck-and-neck.

The outcome of Sunday's vote could determine whether Greece remains in the euro or is forced to leave the joint currency, a move that could drag down other European countries and have potentially catastrophic consequences for the global economy.

The exit polls showed that the conservative New Democracy party is projected to win between 27.5 and 30.5 per cent of the vote while the anti-bailout radical left Syriza party may get 27 to 30 per cent.

Syriza head Alexis Tsipras has vowed to cancel the terms of Greece's international bailout deal and repeal its austerity measures – a move many think will force Greece to leave the 17-nation eurozone.

New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras says his top priority is to stay in the euro but renegotiate some terms of the bailout. Whichever party comes first in Sunday's vote gets a bonus of 50 seats in the 300-member Parliament.

As central banks stood ready to intervene in case of financial turmoil, Greece held its second national election in just six weeks to try to select a new government after an inconclusive ballot on May 6.

The two parties vying to win have starkly different views about what to do about the USD 300 billion in bailout loans that Greece has been given by international lenders.

One wants to tear up the deals and void the harsh austerity measures demanded by lenders that have caused Greek living standards to plummet. The other backs the bailout deal but wants to amend it.