The SYRIZA-Independent Greeks’ coalition government appears to be exhausting “political capital” at breakneck speed, if judged by results of a recent opinion poll commissioned by, and published on Sunday by Proto Thema, Greece’s best-selling newspaper.
Struggling negotiations over the past two months between the radical leftist government of Alexis Tsipras and institutional lenders – EC, ECB, IMF — have dramatically brought back various scenarios of “Grexit” and default to the limelight. Moreover, the government appears at odds with a majority of respondents on issues ranging from how to deal with illegal immigration the flood of refugees to public safety.
According to results of the opinion poll, conducted by the firm Alco, only 39 percent of respondents are satisfied with the government’s performance, a figure that is lower than what SYRIZA and the Independent Greeks (AN.EL) party polled together (41 percent) in the Jan. 25 election. Conversely, 52 percent of respondents gave a negative view of the government’s effectiveness.
Specific decisions, such as a passed law that possibly allows the release of convicted terrorist Savvas Xiros, are opposed by a whopping 77 percent of respondents.
Public opinion, measured at least by the latest opinion poll, also shows low support for the government’s handling of the migration crisis, which recently resurfaced in Greece, as only 21 percent (out of a sample of 1,000 respondents) approving of the government’s policy.
The prospect of default was a concern for 63 percent of respondents, with “Grexit” a concern for 48 percent.
Conversely, opinions for controversial and now embattled Greek FinMin Yanis Varoufakis were dramatically much higher than other members of the government, and at a stark contrast than the opinions of his … Eurozone colleagues – if media reports are to be believed.
Varoufakis was given a positive nod by 55 peercent of respondents.
In a change from recent results, outspoken Parliametn President Zoi Konstantopoulou is judged negatively by 50 percent of respondents, as opposed to 40 percent that have a positive view of her performance in the post.
Asked what the government should do if European partners do not accept the SYRIZA proposals, one in two rsepondents said “compromise”, with 36 percent saying it should proceed with a “rift”.
The poll was conducted between April 20 and April 23 on a nationwide sample.
In terms of the all-important voters’ preference figure, 33 percent of respondents said they would vote for SYRIZA if elections were held the same day (down from 36.34 percent the party garnered in the election), putting it 13.1 percentage points ahead of main opposition New Democracy (ND) party, which drops to 20.7 percent – 7.6 percentage points down from its election showing!
Third place went to the centrist Potami party (4.7%) and the Communist Party, with ultra-nationalist Golden Daw at 4.6 percent; AN.EL at 3.3 percent and PASOK at 3.1 percent.