Greece Preliminary Returns Show Strong “No” Vote

Preliminary results from the Greek referendum are in, and with more than a third counted, it appears voters have soundly rejected the terms of an international bailout. This outcome that could shake the Continent’s financial stability and redefine the country’s place in Europe. "The mandate from the Greek people is for the government to defend its own proposal and its own positions," government spokesperson Gabriel Sakellaridis, reports BBC News. "The real negotiations must start from tonight." What does this mean? The people of Greece seem to be refusing to accept the austerity plan put in front of them and instead voting to support Prime Minister Alexis Tsipris's effort to demand better terms. But this vote could lead to creditors walking away, leaving Greece facing default, financial collapse, and expulsion from the eurozone — and even, in the worst case, from the European Union. The people of Greece are hoping to get an offer of debt relief and less drastic austerity measures.