NEWS

Most Greeks oppose memorandum, back euro poll shows

Most Greeks – 68 percent in total – are against the terms of the country’s bailout deal with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, a public survey showed Monday, while an overwhelming majority say they expect to be affected by the fresh round of cuts.

The new Public Issue poll for Skai and Kathimerini, which came amid negotiations with the country’s foreign lenders on some 11.5 billion euros of cuts, found only 21 percent of Greeks support the belt-tightening measures included in the so-called memorandum.

Of those questioned, 85 percent say they will probably be affected by the latest cuts.

The EU/IMF deal is most popular among PASOK voters, a 46 percent of whom back the measures, followed by New Democracy supporters at 38 percent. Only four percent of those who voted for the hard-left SYRIZA party in the last parliamentary elections are in favor of the austerity measures, the survey found.

Despite the austerity drive, a slim majority of Greeks still view the EU positively, the poll showed, while a higher percentage, 67 percent, have a positive view of the euro. The figures however are down compared to opinion polls carried out in May and July this year.

A 53 percent think the eurozone has a future while 41 percent expect that Europe’s common currency region will collapse.

Most people believe coalition leaders New Democracy would come first if snap polls were held today, followed by SYRIZA.

As regards the popularity of party leaders, Fotis Kouvelis, the leader of Democratic Leftm got the nod from 52 percent of respondents with SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras getting the approval of 42 percent, three points ahead of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. The popularity of Nikos Mihalolioakos, chief of the neofascist Golden Dawn party, has climbed to 22 percent, 8 points up from May 2012, the poll showed.

The poll was conducted September 6 through 12.

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