(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The governing New Democracy (ND) party holds the upper hand before Greece's parliamentary election, according to a poll by VPRC published in Kathimerini. 42.5 per cent of respondents would back the ND in next month's ballot.

The Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) is second with 38.5 per cent, followed by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 7.5 per cent, the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYR) with five per cent, and the People's Orthodox Alarm (LAOS) with 3.5 per cent. The early election 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. 48 per cent of respondents think Karamanlis is the most qualified person to serve as head of government, while 24 per cent pick Papandreou.

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 63 people have lost their lives in the fires.

On Aug. 27, Dimitris Papangelopoulos, a prosecutor responsible for terrorism and organized crime, ordered an investigation into "whether the crimes of arsonists and of arson attacks on forests carried out in the country during the summer of 2007" could be litigated under Greece's anti-terrorism law.

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