Greece in chaos: will Syriza’s last desperate gamble pay off?

The banks are closed, the bailout referendum is looming - and Europe's only far-left government is struggling to hold on to its mass support. In less than a week, it will either be triumphant or finished

If it all ends on Monday, with the Greeks voting for austerity in order to keep the euro, the first far-left party to hold office in modern Europe will be judged by its critics a failure.

By calling a referendum, Syriza has gambled that it can strengthen its hand in negotiations with its lenders. But with no extension to its bailout programme, and emergency funds from the European Central Bank (ECB) on a knife-edge, the move has prompted this week's "bank holiday" and the rationing of cash at ATMs.