Crisis: Greece, poll points to a shift in voting intentions
Sunday, 12 February 2012
(ANSAmed) - ATHENS, FEBRUARY 8 - Dissent-ridden Greek Socialist party PASOK is on a downward spiral and conservative New Democracy is maintaining its popularity while the Democratic Left has attracted the support of a large segment of austerity-weary Greeks, according to the results of a new opinion poll that also show that nine in 10 Greeks are unhappy with Prime Minister Lucas Papademos's coalition government.
The new poll, carried out by Public Issue for daily Kathimerini, showed ND to have inched forward to 31%, consolidating its growing popularity, while PASOK continues to languish in fifth place with 8%. The poll, carried out on a sample of 1,002 people last week, showed the Communist Party (KKE) and the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) to be holding firm at 12.5% and 12% respectively. But the Democratic Left has surged in popularity, garnering 18% of the public vote (up 4.5% since last month).
All together, the leftist parties garner an impressive 42.5%, but as KKE has ruled out cooperating with other parties, the figure is misleading. Support for the right-wing Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS), the third party in the tripartite coalition, slipped to 5% -- from 8% during its heyday in 2010 -- while the extreme-right Chrysi Avgi (Golden Dawn) has surged to 3%, hitting the threshold for entering Parliament. The poll's results for parties are broadly reflected in the support for the politicians that lead them. Democratic Left leader Fotis Kouvelis tops the list, attracting the support of 56% of respondents, followed by 41% for SYRIZA's Alexis Tsipras and ND chief Antonis Samaras with 31%. Respondents were divided on Papademos, with 48% expressing a negative opinion and 46% a positive one. Respondents were virtually unanimous though in their criticism of his government's achievements, with 91% expressing disappointment.
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