The latest poll on voting intentions in Greece suggests that while center-right New Democracy (ND) is still ahead of left-wing SYRIZA, the lead has narrowed since the rail disaster on February 28.
The Marc poll for Antenna TV, which was aired late Thursday, gives New Democracy 29.6 percent of voting intentions to 25 percent for SYRIZA.
According to the same survey, PASOK would garner 9.7 percent, the Communist Party (KKE) 5.6 percent, Greek Solution 3.9 percent, MeRA25 3.5 percent and the Ellines party (led by the imprisoned Ilias Kasidiaris, a former leading member of the outlawed neo-Nazi Golden Dawn) 3 percent.
The poll shows a significant drop in the popularity of ND, but also SYRIZA and PASOK are unable to reap ND’s losses.
Political analysts note that the angry and shell-shocked public is joining the pool of undecided voters and the smaller parties, such as the Communist Party (KKE), Yanis Varoufakis’ Mera 25, and right-wing populists.
Parties must win at least 3 percent to enter Parliament. The survey was carried out on a sample of 1,241 people between March 4-7.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis put an end to speculation of early elections in April before the Orthodox Easter holiday, government sources said on Thursday, as the cabinet met to discuss the implications of the deadly train collision in central Greece last week.
Before the train crash, news reports indicated the most likely date for the polls was April 9.
Mitsotakis said the government has “a busy legislative agenda in the coming weeks,” with some 10 bills going through Parliament.
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