Greek Elections May 2012, Analysis

By Mark Lowen

BBC News, Athens

Greece has been plunged into a period of intense instability. The conservative New Democracy and the socialist Pasok parties seem to have been beaten into third place by an anti-bailout leftist coalition, Syriza. Its leader, Alexis Tsipras, says he wants to attempt to form an alternative government rejecting Greece's bailout commitments.

In another rejection of the political mainstream, the far right anti-immigrant Golden Dawn party looks set to sweep into parliament for the first time.

There are now plenty of questions: could New Democracy urge fresh elections if it fails to gain enough MPs with the Socialists to form a stable coalition? Could the call for an anti-bailout government be heeded, potentially threatening Greece's membership of the euro?

Days of wrangling lie ahead. What is clear is that a majority of Greeks have spoken out against austerity. It could be very hard for the international community to demand yet more cuts.