Syriza party

The result was a resounding success for Tsipras' high-risk gamble when he resigned as prime minister last month and triggered an early election, barely seven months into his four-year term, in order to face down an internal Syriza rebellion over his policy U-turn to accept painful austerity measures in return for Greece's third international bailout.

Three surveys published Friday show the two parties roughly level within the margin of error, with the winner likely to require the support of two smaller parties to form a coalition government.

Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras resigned as prime minister and called the snap election last month after reaching an agreement with eurozone creditors for a third bailout that triggered a split within his party.

Alexis Tsipras resigned last month, triggering Sept. 20 elections, barely eight months into his four-year term following a rebellion by Syriza hardliners objecting to his agreement to creditor-demanded tax hikes and spending cuts in return for a third bailout.

Recent opinion polls show Syriza in a dead heat with opposition New Democracy, but with neither winning enough seats to form a government.

Prime Minister Vassiliki Thanou, a top judge, and her cabinet will lead the country to elections expected to be on Sept. 20, following outgoing prime minister Alexis Tsipras' resignation last week.

He stepped down following a rebellion by members of his radical-left Syriza party who objected to his agreement with the conditions of Greece's third international bailout.

Tsipras resigned late Thursday and called an early election next month to deal with a rebellion in his radical left Syriza party over the terms of Greece's new bailout deal.

The draft bill for the three-year rescue package worth about 85 billion euros ($93 billion) in loans includes harsh spending cuts and tax hikes that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has said he has no option but to implement.

His radical left Syriza party won elections in January on promises of repealing similar budget austerity imposed in return for Greece's previous bailouts.

In a decree Saturday, the Greek government kept the daily cash withdrawal limit at 60 euros ($65) but added a weekly limit. For example, a depositor who doesn't withdraw cash on Monday can withdraw 120 euros ($130) on Tuesday, and so on, up to 420 euros ($455) a week.