(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Greece’s governing New Democracy (ND) is leading the country’s political scene by a slim margin, according to a poll by Metron Analysis. 29.7 per cent of respondents would vote for the ND in this month’s legislative election, down 1.3 points since late August.

The opposition Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) is a close second with 28.1 per cent, followed by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 8.1 per cent, the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYR) with 4.7 per cent, and the People’s Orthodox Alarm (LAOS) with 3.6 per cent. The early ballot is scheduled for Sept. 16.

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.

On Aug. 25, the government declared a nationwide state of emergency after a series of devastating forest fires broke out in southern Greece. Karamanlis suggested that arson might be to blame, saying the crisis "cannot be a coincidence." PASOK has pledged to donate 30 per cent of its campaign budget to the victims. At least 66 people have lost their lives in the fires.

On Sept. 7, Karamanlis asked for an "explicit and clear mandate" from Greek voters so that "with safety and stability, armed with the confidence of the Greeks, we can advance faster and more decisively on the road of changes and reforms."

Also on Sept. 7, Communist leader Aleka Parariga urged voters to consider a third option, saying, "A powerful KKE is better than strengthened bipartisan rule. (...) To the artificial dilemma set by the prime minister and to the artificial dilemma leaked by PASOK, we reply: one is the real dilemma, weak bipartisan rule and strong people or weak people and strong bipartisan rule."

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