As Greece’s center-right heads for a landslide, fringe parties jostle to squeeze into Parliament

By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS and COSTAS KANTOURIS
Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Up to five small far-right and far-left parties may cross the 3% parliamentary entry threshold in Greece’s repeat election on Sunday. That’s despite a swing back to mainstream politicians as the scars of a 10-year financial crisis gradually heal. It would increase the number of parties in Parliament from five to a maximum nine, sapping the majority of center-right New Democracy. It’s expected to retain its 20-percentage-point lead from a first vote last month, but if it finds it still can’t govern alone it could seek a third election during the August holiday season. The far right’s message is traditionalist and religious, though no longer violent. The far left pledges to make mainstream politicians’ life difficult in Parliament.