Europe
25 January 2015
Last updated at 16:03 ET
The ruling New Democracy party is projected to come a distant second.
Syriza's Alexis Tsipras has pledged to renegotiate Greece's debt arrangement with international creditors.
He has also vowed to reverse many of the austerity measures adopted by Greece since a series of bailouts began in 2010.
PM Antonis Samaras has admitted defeat and phoned Mr Tsipras to congratulate him.
"The Greek people have spoken and I respect their decision," he
said during a news conference., pointing out that he had inherited a
"hot potato" on coming into office and that he and his party had done
much to restore his country's finances.
The result is being closely watched outside Greece, where it is believed a Syriza victory could encourage radical leftist parties across Europe.
Earlier, exit polls indicated that Syriza took between 36% and 38% of the total vote, with the ruling New Democracy party a distant second with 26%-28%.
"There is an ongoing thriller surrounding the absolute majority," said Michalis Karyotoglou, head of Singular Logic, the software group monitoring the voting process for the interior ministry.
Either way however, partial results from Greece's election commission showed a clear Syriza lead.
'Historic victory' Syriza hailed the exit polls as "a return of social dignity and social justice".
"What's clear is we have a historic victory that sends a message that does not only concern the Greek people, but all European peoples," spokesman Panos Skourletis told Greek television.
A large crowd gathered outside the headquarters of the Syriza party in Athens
Syriza supporters in Athens greeted the exit polls with jubilation
Supporters of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras of New Democracy watched with dismay
Far-right Golden Dawn and centrist The River came joint third in exit polls.
The proportion of votes won by smaller parties will have a large impact on whether Syriza can gain the required 151 parliamentary seats to have an absolute majority.
Who are Syriza and what do they stand for?
by Natalie de Vallieres and Biodun Iginla, BBC News, Athens
The BBC's Mark Lowen: "Many here are finally smiling again"
Anti-austerity
left-wing party Syriza is heading for a substantial victory in Greece's
general election, official projections say.
The party is projected to win about 150 seats, just one short
of an absolute majority, though officials say that number could change.The ruling New Democracy party is projected to come a distant second.
Syriza's Alexis Tsipras has pledged to renegotiate Greece's debt arrangement with international creditors.
He has also vowed to reverse many of the austerity measures adopted by Greece since a series of bailouts began in 2010.
PM Antonis Samaras has admitted defeat and phoned Mr Tsipras to congratulate him.
The BBC's Gavin Hewitt: "This projected result will send shockwaves through Europe"
The result is being closely watched outside Greece, where it is believed a Syriza victory could encourage radical leftist parties across Europe.
Earlier, exit polls indicated that Syriza took between 36% and 38% of the total vote, with the ruling New Democracy party a distant second with 26%-28%.
"There is an ongoing thriller surrounding the absolute majority," said Michalis Karyotoglou, head of Singular Logic, the software group monitoring the voting process for the interior ministry.
Either way however, partial results from Greece's election commission showed a clear Syriza lead.
'Historic victory' Syriza hailed the exit polls as "a return of social dignity and social justice".
"What's clear is we have a historic victory that sends a message that does not only concern the Greek people, but all European peoples," spokesman Panos Skourletis told Greek television.
A large crowd gathered outside the headquarters of the Syriza party in Athens
Syriza supporters in Athens greeted the exit polls with jubilation
Supporters of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras of New Democracy watched with dismay
The proportion of votes won by smaller parties will have a large impact on whether Syriza can gain the required 151 parliamentary seats to have an absolute majority.
- An acronym meaning the "Radical Coalition of the Left", Syriza was formed in 2004 as an umbrella group
- Led by 40-year-old Alexis Tsipras
- The party first came to prominence following the 2008 Greek riots
- It promises an end to Greece's painful austerity measures and wants to renegotiate its debt
- Markets worry about a Greek debt default and a possible exit from the eurozone, though Syriza says it wants to keep the euro
Greece votes
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Live updates on the general election in Greece where for the first time in the eurozone crisis an anti-austerity party seems likely to win power.
Election results
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Syriza prepares for power
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Who's who
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Why vote worries EU
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Key points about election
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Crisis hits town called Drama
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Election is political circus
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Crisis takes toll on romance
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Spectre of Grexit
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Eurozone fears
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From other news sites
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Yahoo! UK and Ireland Syriza could win outright majority as Greece rejects austerity 36 mins ago
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Haaretz Greece PM Samaras concedes election to left-wing Syriza 39 mins ago
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CBC Leftist party wins Greek vote but could fall short of majority 43 mins ago
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WA Today Anti-austerity Syriza party sweeps to Greek victory 2 hrs ago
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Times of Oman Radical leftists set for a comfortable victory as Greeks vote 2 hrs ago
- About these results
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