(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Greece’s largest opposition party continues to edge the ruling conservatives by a small margin, according to a poll by VPRC published in Eleftherotypia. 38 per cent of respondents would vote for the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) in the next general election, up one point since November.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Greece’s largest opposition party continues to edge the ruling conservatives by a small margin, according to a poll by VPRC published in Eleftherotypia. 38 per cent of respondents would vote for the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) in the next general election, up one point since November.
The governing New Democracy (ND) is second with 35 per cent, followed by the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYR) with 10 per cent, and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 7.5 per cent. Support is lower for the People’s Orthodox Alarm (LAOS) and the Ecologist Greens (OP).
In the March 2004 election, Kostas Karamanlis led the ND to victory, securing 165 seats in the Greek Parliament. PASOK had administered the government since January 1996. Current PASOK leader George Papandreou served as foreign minister under Kostas Simitis.
Greek voters renewed their Parliament in September 2007. Final results gave Karamanlis a second term in office, with 41.84 cent of the vote and 152 seats in the 300-member legislature. PASOK finished second, with 38.10 per cent and 102 lawmakers. In November, Papandreou defeated Evangelos Venizelos and Kostas Skandalidis in a special PASOK leadership ballot.
In December 2008, the fatal shooting of teenager Alexandros Grigoropoulos by police in Athens sparked an angry reaction, with widespread riots that continued for days. Hundreds of buildings such as banks, stores and public offices were destroyed, damaged by fire or looted. PASOK leaders called for Karamanlis to resign as a result of the riots.
On Mar. 4, Karamanlis addressed rumours that he may call an early legislative ballot, saying, "They [elections] are of no concern to us. I am not thinking of elections; this is the end of such talk."
Polling Data
What party would you vote for in Greece’s next general election?
|
|
Feb. 2009 |
Nov. 2008 |
|
Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) |
38.0% |
37.0% |
|
New Democracy (ND) |
35.0% |
32.5% |
|
Coalition of the Radical Left (SYR) |
10.0% |
13.0% |
|
Communist Party of Greece (KKE) |
7.5% |
8.0% |
|
People’s Orthodox Alarm (LAOS) |
4.5% |
4.0% |
|
Ecologist Greens (OP) |
3.5% |
4.5% |
Source: VPRC / Eleftherotypia
Methodology: Interviews with 1,260 Greek adults, conducted in February 2009. No margin of error was provided.
