New Poll Gives 1pct Lead to SYRIZA Over ND

A new opinion polls gives SYRIZA a 1pct lead over the New Democracy party, but also shows that voters still consider Antonis Samaras as a more suitable for PM. The poll, which was conducted by Public Issue for SKAI television and the newspaper Kathimerini notes that SYRIZA leads with 29.5 percent, followed by ND with 28.5 percent, ultra-right Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) with 10 percent, Independent Greeks with 8 percent, PASOK with 7.5 percent, Democratic Left (DIMAR) with 6 percent, and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 5.5 percent, while 5 percent of the respondents expressed support for other parties and the blank and invalid votes and abstention was 19.5 percent.

Asked who is the most suitable for prime minister, Mr. Samaras was preferred by 44 percent of the respondents, followed by SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras with 27 percent, while 26 percent said neither of the two.

The geographic coverage of the opinion poll was nationwide and was conducted between March 8-12, 2013.