ND sees share rise
In the June 17 election — just a month after the previous poll on May 6 — New Democracy managed to increase its share by more than 10 percentage points (10.81 percent), scoring 29.66 percent to win 129 parliamentary seats and taking top spot in 40 Greek electoral districts out of a total 56. Overall, 1,825,609 people voted for the conservative party.
ND observed a significant rise in all of the country?s electoral districts, starting with more moderate percentages such as +4.44 percent in Florina, +4.66 percent in Xanthi, +5.92 percent in Lefkada, +6.05 percent in Corfu and +6.59 in Karditsa, and reaching the impressive figure (especially when considering the short period that elapsed between the two polls) of +17.83 percent in Evrytania. Equally spectacular were the party?s gains in Attica, with +15.13 percent and +13.83 percent recorded in the first and second electorate districts of Athens respectively. In the Dodecanese, the party?s share went up by 13.81 percent, followed by 13.21 percent in the Cyclades and 13.02 percent in the first electorate district of Piraeus.
New Democracy?s highest score was recorded in party leader Antonis Samaras?s native Messinia, in the Peloponnese, where it reached 41.59 percent of the vote, or 44,954 votes and three seats. At the same time, beyond the country?s major urban areas, the party observed an increase of 7.99 percent. In the district of Laconia, for instance, the party reached 40.99 percent — compared to 33.6 percent in the May 6 election — earning two seats in Parliament. In Serres, ND?s percentage reached 40.14, up 10.09 percent from the May poll, with the party electing three MPs. In Evros, it climbed to 39.81 percent of the vote, winning two seats and increasing its share by 11.07 percent.
The party also observed a significant rise in urban areas. Besides the first and second Athens constituencies, the party earned 27.75 percent (94.220 votes) in the first electorate district of Thessaloniki (six seats) and 31.91 percent (two seats) in the northern port city?s second electorate district.
New Democracy earned one more seat in the following constituencies: the second electorate district of Athens, Kavala, Pieria, Karditsa, Messinia, Pella, Ioannina, Trikala, Corinthia, the first and second electorate districts of Piraeus, the second electoral district of Thessaloniki, Kozani, Laconia, Evia and Rethymno. The party won two extra seats in Ilia, three in Fthiotida and three in Imathia.
While the party earned its smallest electoral share, 18.62 percent, in the second electoral district of Piraeus, this marked an increase of 8.85 percent compared to May?s election, when it stood at 9.77 percent of the vote.
The conservatives also observed an impressive rise in traditionally pro-PASOK electorate districts on the island of Crete. In the constituency of Iraklio, where New Democracy?s share had come to 9.13 percent in May, Sunday?s election gave the party an increase of 10.92 percent, reaching 20.05 percent of the vote. In Hania, New Democracy went from 8.44 percent last month to 20.43 percent on Sunday, while in Rethymno, the party?s percentage rose from 13.06 to 24.13 percent.
