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More Greek Voters Back Opposition PASOK
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Greece’s main opposition party has gained momentum, according to a poll by Public Issue published in Kathimerini. 38.5 per cent of respondents would vote for the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) in the next general election, up eight points since April.
The ruling New Democracy (ND) is second with 32.5 per cent, followed by the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYR) with 12 per cent, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with eight per cent, and the People’s Orthodox Alarm (LAOS) with four per cent.
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 have been destroyed, damaged by fire or looted. PASOK leaders called for Karamanlis to resign as a result of the ongoing riots.
On Jan. 5, a group of gunmen fired on riot police, seriously injuring a 21-year-old officer. Karamanlis reacted to the news, saying, "I express my abhorrence, my sorrow over the murderous attack against policemen. Bullets against them are targeted mainly at democracy and society as a whole."
Polling Data
What party would you support in Greece’s next general election?
|
|
Dec. 2008 |
Apr. 2008 |
|
Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) |
38.5% |
30.5% |
|
New Democracy (ND) |
32.5% |
37% |
|
Coalition of the Radical Left (SYR) |
12% |
18% |
|
Communist Party of Greece (KKE) |
8% |
7% |
|
People’s Orthodox Alarm (LAOS) |
4% |
4.5% |
Source: Public Issue / Kathimerini
Methodology: Interviews with 1,013 Greek adults, conducted from Dec. 15 to Dec. 17, 2008. Margin of error is 3.2 per cent.