ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The left-wing opposition Syriza party has succeeded in capturing first place in Greece’s election for the European Parliament, leading the conservative New Democracy party by about 3.5 percent.

The radical left party, which has been fiercely critical of the austerity policies pursued since 2010 by the heavily indebted country and imposed by its creditors, claimed an important victory in Greece’s local and regional elections by winning the Attica region, where almost 30 percent of all Greek voters are registered.