Campaigns halt as Greeks face tough referendum choice

Campaigns halt in Greece today on the eve of a closely watched bailout referendum, with voters in a dead heat over whether to defy creditors and push for better repayment terms or essentially seek new political leadership to find a compromise.
Political rallies and publication of new opinion polls are banned 24 hours before Sunday's referendum called by left-wing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who has promised to ease austerity after six years of recession.
Rival rallies took place a half-mile apart in central Athens late Friday, and Tsipras made his final pitch on a stage set up for a campaign rock concert outside parliament. "This is not a protest. It is a celebration to overcome fear and blackmail," he told a crowd of 30,000 as they roared oxi, oxi "no, no."

The 40-year-old Tsipras is gambling the future of his new left wing government on Sunday's snap poll - insisting a "no" vote will strengthen his hand to negotiate a third bailout with better terms.
If he loses, Tsipras has strongly indicated he would step aside.
Athens' high-stakes standoff with lenders saw Greece default on debts this week, close banks to avoid their collapse, and lose access to billions of euros after an existing bailout deal expired.

The EFSF, the Eurozone's rescue fund and Greece's largest creditor, said Friday it considered the country to be in default.
At Friday's "no" rally, Athens resident Maria Antoniou held a handmade sign, reading "oxi."

"We have to strengthen Tsipras. It's not his fault we are bankrupt," she said.
"He doesn't have the mandate to take tougher measures and now we are giving that to him. It's not true this is a vote on the euro. It's a vote to change course and stay in the euro, and Tsipras is our best hope," she said.
That is a message the "yes" voters refuse to believe.
Police said about 22,000 people gathered outside the nearby Panathenian stadium for the "yes" rally, waving Greek and European Union flags and chanting "Greece, Europe, Democracy.