ATHENS - Greeks enraged by economic hardship voted on Sunday in a deeply uncertain election that could reignite Europe's debt crisis and throw into doubt the country's future in the euro zone. At stake in the first general election since Greece detonated a wider European crisis at the end of 2009 is whether it will stick to the terms of a deeply unpopular EU/IMF bailout or start down a path that could take it out of the euro. Leaders from all sides emphasized the importance of the vote for the future of Greece, which is suffering one of Europe's worst postwar recessions. "We all agree that these elections are perhaps the most crucial and today each of us is deciding not only who will govern the country but also Greece's path for the next decades," said outgoing technocrat Prime Minister Lucas Papademos, as he cast his vote in Athens. But many voters expressed their rage at the ruling parties. "My vote was a protest vote because they cut my pension and there are more measures waiting for us around the corner," said 75-year-old pensioner Kalliopi, her fists clenched in anger. "I live in a basement but pay the same (property) tax as someone who lives in a penthouse," said Kalliopi after voting in Athens. Opinion polls indicate voters hit by record unemployment, collapsing businesses and steep wage cuts will return an unprecedented number of small parties opposed to austerity and punish conservative New Democracy and socialist PASOK, who have ruled for decades. They are the only major parties backing bailouts that averted bankruptcy but caused grinding hardship. The prospect that they will fail to win enough votes for a coalition government, despite finishing first and second, has raised the risk of a prolonged period of uncertainty as they seek allies from anti-bailout parties. Papademos said he thought a new government could be formed this week. International lenders and investors fear success for up to seven small parties opposed to the bailout could lead to Greece reneging on its bailout terms, risking a sovereign default and dragging the euro zone back into the worst crisis since its creation. Euro zone paymaster Germany has warned there would be "consequences" to an anti-bailout vote and the EU and IMF insist whoever wins the election must stick to austerity if they want to receive the aid that keeps Greece afloat. But many voters shrugged off such threats. "I don't think that voting for a small party will make us go bankrupt. We already are," said 53 year-old Panagiotis, a craftsman, after voting for the conservative Independent Greeks. At another polling station, 37-year-old computer technician Giannis Papadopoulos said: "I am outraged and I have been angry for 2-1/2 years. Today I voted for one of the small parties and the only thing I can tell them is please don't repeat the mistakes the others have made so far." But some voters, like 60-year-old housewife Mary, saw the bailout as the only possible course.
