New Democracy builds big poll lead over SYRIZA
New Democracy is leading SYRIZA by 6.5 percentage points, according to the latest opinion poll conducted by the University of Macedonia for Skai TV.
The survey puts the conservatives out in front with 24 percent and SYRIZA second on 17.5 percent. They are followed by Golden Dawn on 6 percent, the Communist Party on 5.5 percent, PASOK on 4.5 percent and the Union of Centrists also on 4.5 percent. Independent Greeks, Potami and radical left Popular Unity are all below the 3 percent threshold required to enter Parliament.
Also, 24 percent of respondents did not provide an answer, while 7.5 percent said they would vote for another party.
The poll indicates that 87 percent of Greeks are not satisfied with the government’s performance. This includes 74 percent of those who voted for SYRIZA in the general elections last September. Two in three Greeks have a negative view of the government’s pension reform proposals but 53 percent believe it is handling the refugee crisis well.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s personal popularity seems to have suffered. He ranks as the third most popular party leader after his ratings fell by 4.5 points in a month to 18.5 percent. Ahead of him, New Democracy chief Kyriakos Mitsotakis is viewed positively by 22.5 percent of those questioned, while quirky Union of Centrists leader Vassilis Leventis leads the way with 24 percent.
Just 22 percent of Greeks would like to see snap elections but 42 percent want a cross-party government that would be led by someone other than Tsipras.
