Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has thanked voters for making “a brave choice” in backing his call to reject creditors’ demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans.

Greece’s left-wing Syriza appeared on course last night to trounce the ruling conservatives in yesterday’s snap election and could win the absolute majority it wants to fight international creditors’ insistence on painful austerity measures.

Greece's prime minister voiced deep relief today at the new debt relief and bailout deal hammered out by European leaders, which he said has bought the country time to make a new start and will spare future generations of Greeks from a crippling burden.