George Houliarakis

Poll sees Tsipras in lead as Greece gears up for elections

Greece geared up for its fifth election in six years with a poll on Aug. 28 showing leftist leader Alexis Tsipras in the lead for re-election despite a wave of defections from his Syriza party.

"Today the great electoral battle begins. The Greek people will give a strong mandate for the present and the future," Tsipras said in a statement to Avgi, the Syriza daily.