‘No’ seen prevailing in Greece referendum, telephone polls suggest

Commission members count the ballot letters at a polling station in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greece faced an uncharted future as officials counted the results of a referendum Sunday on whether to accept creditors’ demands for more austerity in exchange for rescue loans, with three opinion polls showing a tight race with a narrow victory likely for the “no” side. GIANNIS PANAGOPOULOS/EUROKINISSI VIA AP)

ATHENS, Greece–Two polls broadcast after a Sunday referendum in Greece on whether to accept tough bailout conditions suggested a narrow win for a ‘No’ vote, which could jeopardize its place in the eurozone.

A poll by the Star television channel carried out by telephone during voting on Sunday and the day before gave a 49-54 percent range for ‘No’ ballots against 46-51 percent for ‘Yes’.

A similar Mega channel poll suggested a 49.5-53.5 percent ‘No’ vote and 46.5-50.5 percent for ‘Yes’.

The radical left government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had lobbied for a ‘No’ result in the referendum in a bid to strengthen its hand in negotiations with international creditors.