The two main parties in
Greece's ruling coalition would together get just a one-seat
majority in parliament if elections were held now, a poll showed
on Thursday, less than three weeks before the May 6 vote.
The conservative New Democracy and the Socialist PASOK
party, which both back the government of technocrat Lucas
Papademos, have seen their ratings drop over recent months
because of the unpopular austerity measures imposed in return
for a new EU/IMF bailout.
They would jointly win 37 percent of the vote or 151 of the
300 parliamentary seats – a result which would just allow them
to renew their coalition, according to a survey by pollster
Pulse for Pontiki newspaper.
New Democracy would win 110 seats and PASOK 41, according to
the survey, which was conducted on April 11-17. Another opinion
poll published on Wednesday showed New Democracy and PASOK
winning 158 seats combined.
Eight other parties would pass the 3 percent threshold to
enter parliament, the Pulse survey showed, as austerity-hit
Greeks turn to fringe parties opposing the bailout.
Seven of the smaller parties that the poll sees entering
parliament oppose the austerity plan. They include the extreme
right Golden Dawn party, which, the poll showed, would win 15
seats with 5.5 percent of the vote.
The Democratic Alliance, a small centre-right party backing
the bailout, would win eight seats with 3 percent of the vote,
the poll showed. Political fragmentation may threaten efforts by the
Socialists and the conservatives to form a coalition after
the election and implement the prescribed austerity and reform.
Although they oppose the austerity policies set out in the
bailout, most Greeks want their country to stay in the euro
zone.
After almost two years of belt tightening, Greece is going
through its worst recession since World War Two, with record
unemployment and painful cuts in pensions and salaries.
Following is a table with the most recent Greek opinion
polls.
Figures are in percentage points:
****************************************************************
Date** ND PASOK Ind. Left KKE Dem. G.Dawn LAOS
Greeks Coal. Left
*Pulse Apr 19 22.0 15.0 10.0 11.0 10.5 8.5 5.5 3.0
*Marc Apr 18 22.3 17.8 9.9 9.8 9.7 8.6 5.7 3.9
*MRB Apr 13 25.4 15.8 8.8 10.7 5.4 8.7 4.8 3.1
Pulse Apr 13 21.5 15.5 9.5 11.5 11.5 9.0 5.0 3.0
*Metron
Analys. Apr 12 24.3 15.4 9.6 9.5 10.9 8.0 6.3 4.2
*Public
Issue Apr 12 19.0 14.5 11.0 13.0 11.0 12.0 5.0 3.0
GPO Apr 10 18.2 14.2 7.0 6.2 8.0 5.9 4.0
*Alco Apr 7 24.0 16.0 7.5 8.5 8.6 8.0 3.3
*Public
Issue Mar 31 22.5 15.5 8.5 12.5 12.0 12.0 2.0
*VPRC Mar 22 22.5 12.5 11.0 12.0 12.5 11.5 3.0
*Public
Issue Mar 15 25.0 11.0 6.5 12.0 11.5 15.5 4.0
*Pulse Mar 15 23.0 13.5 12.5 13.5 10.5 4.0
*Public
Issue Mar 3 28.0 11.0 12.0 11.0 16.0 4.0
GPO Feb 20 19.4 13.1 8.5 9.5 12.0 5.1
Marc Feb 18 17.0 9.8 7.6 8.4 10.8 4.9
MRB Feb 18 19.0 8.2 8.2 8.8 10.1 3.9
Alco Feb 18 18.3 8.0 6.2 8.0 8.8 4.1
*VPRC Jan 26 30.5 12.0 12.5 12.5 13.0 6.0
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* Poll result effectively excludes undecided voters and those who refused to say how they will vote to project how the poll data would translate into an actual vote result.
** Date of publication
