Exit polls show Greece's Conservative New Democracy party taking a small lead in the country's parliamentary elections which could decide the future of the debt-laden country in the 17-nation eurozone.

Polls show New Democracy taking between 28.6 and 30 percent of the vote, with the the leftist Syriza party trailing closely behind with 27.5 and 28.4 percent.

Neither party was projected to win an outright majority.

Both have pledged to form a government that will renegotiate the harsh austerity conditions of Greece's bailout by the European Union and International Monetary Fund.

Antonis Samaras, New Democracy party leader, has criticized his leftist opponent, Alexis Tsipras, of policies he says will put Greece into a worse situation than it is in now.

Tsipras, leader of the Syriza party, wants to annul the austerity package altogether. Analysts say if the leftists win the Sunday vote, Greece could be forced to leave Europe's common euro currency. If that happens, Greece would reinstate the use of its old drachma currency. Analysts say its value could fall 65 percent in relation to the euro.

After an inconclusive election last month, the top three parties, including the socialist PASOK, were each given a chance to form a coalition, but none of the parties won enough support to put together a new government, prompting Sunday's repeat election.