New Democracy first-past-the-poll with 40% to 36% of the vote exit polls say

Up-until-now main opposition SYRIZA party is projected to garner 25 percent to 29 percent of the vote.

Social democrat PASOK, as widely expected, is forecast to remain in third place, and projected to pick between 9.5 percent to 12.5 percent of the general vote.

Voting precincts closed in the east Mediterranean country at 19.00 (17.00 GMT).

With the current simple proportional election system in place, a coalition government would have to be formed in order to achieve a 150+1 majority in Greece's 300-deputy Parliament.

Failing that, a second election will probably be held within five weeks, with the new electoral system, to apply in a second ballot, favoring the first party.

In terms of lesser parties, the Communist Party (KKE) is given between 8 to 6 percent. The right-of-center and Eurosceptic Elliniki Lysi (Greek Solution) party is projected to pick up 3.5 to 5.5 percent, while Yanis Varoufakis’ radical left Mera25 is projected at 2.5 to 4.5 percent.

A big surprise, at least in terms of exit polls, is a projection that former Parliament president and one-time SYRIZA cadre Zoe’s Konstantopoulou party will pick up anywhere from 2.2 to 4.2 percent.

A showing of above 3 percent in the general vote (of valid ballots) translates into Parliament representation.

Sans Konstantopoulou’s party, all of the others were represented in the previous Parliament.