Athens, Paris, Brussells, AFP – A final tally showed 61.31 percent of Greek voters decisively rejecting a bailout in a momentous referendum on austerity, official results released early Monday by the interior ministry showed.
Participation stood at 62.5 percent, with 38.69 percent voting "Yes" to the reforms put forward by the country's creditors. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' radical left-wing government had called for a "No" vote in the referendum.
Thousands of Athenians gathered in central Syntagma Square to celebrate the result, despite warnings that failure to reach a deal with the creditors could trigger a Greek exit from the eurozone.
"I'm so happy," said 37-year old Dima Rousso, adding that she hadn't expected there to be such a clear margin between the 'No' votes and the 'Yes' votes.
"This is Europe's chance to become what it should have been in the beginning," she said.
"Together we have written a bright page in modern European history," an elated Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told the nation in a televised address.
"This is not a mandate of rupture with Europe, but a mandate that bolsters our negotiating strength to achieve a viable deal," he added