Greek vote could boost Europe’s anti-austerity parties: analysts

Leader of main opposition Left wing party SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras is all smiles during a pre-election rally of the party, in Athens, Greece, Dec 29, 2014. The 180 votes needed for the election of the President of the Republic were not gathered, thus dissolving parliament and prompting the declaration of a snap election - EPA Photo.

BRUSSELS: An election win for Greece’s far-left Syriza party could cause political contagion across Europe by boosting support for other populists, as well as reopen the vexed question of EU-backed austerity, analysts said.

But other radical upstart parties such as Spain’s Podemos may find it a double-edged sword, especially if Syriza ends up backing down on its vows to reverse painful reforms imposed under Greece’s international bailout.