Pulse poll: ND retains over 10 percentage point lead over SYRIZA, broad support for Greek defence accords

Ruling New Democracy retains a double-digit lead over main opposition SYRIZA according to a Pulse poll presented on SKAI television’s evening newscast.

Based on a repercentage (excluding undecided voters, those who will not vote, and those who will cast blank protest ballots), New Democracy had an over 10  percentage point lead over SYRIZA (36.5 percent to 24.5 percent). The centre-left Movement for Change garnered 8.5 percent, the KKE Greek Communist Party 8.5 percent, Elliniki Lysi (Greek Solution) four percent, and MeRa25 three percent.

Voter intention

As far as voter intention with all responses factored in, ND garnered 34 percent (same as in the company’s September poll), SYRIZA 23.5 percent (24 percent in September), SYRIZA 23.5 percent (24 percent in September), Movement for Change eight percent (6.5 percent in September), KKE five percent (six percent in September), Elliniki Lysi 3.5 percent (4.5 percent in September) and MeRa25 three percent (same as in September).

The Movement for Change, whose president Fofi Gennimata died recently and will elect a new leader on 5 December, gained 1.5 percentage points since September.

Approval of defence accords with France, US

A large majority of respondents expressed approval for Greece’s recent defence agreements with France and the US, especially for the accord with France that included a mutual defence pact.

On the agreement with France, 35 percent said they view it surely positively and 26 percent said it was likely positive. Just 18 percent saw it as probably negative and only eight percent viewed it as surely negative.

Although SYRIZA voted down the agreement when it was ratified in Parliament, 48 percent of those who voted for the party in 2019 approved the deal.

Regarding the US-Greece Mutual Defence Cooperation Agreement (MDCA), 58 percent of respondents said they viewed it positively or probably positively (compared to 29 percent in September), while 22 percent viewed it negatively (compared to 11 percent in September).

The rise in the negative rating may have to do with the provision that after the initial five-year extension the agreement will automatically extended indefinitely (unless either side withdraws, which is well nigh impossible), a term that no previous Greek government had accepted

Greek-Turkish relations

Despite the fact that the two agreements have been touted as a shield against Turkish aggression and threats of war, concerns about Greek-Turkish relations remain at a high level, though markedly lower than in September.

A total of 60 percent of respondents (compared to 73 percent in September) said they were concerned – 34 percent extremely concerned, 26 percent quite concerned, 18 percent moderately concerned (compared to 12 percent in September), 14 percent said they were slightly concerned, (compared to seven percent in September) and only eight percent said they were minimally or not all concerned (compared to six percent in September).

Majority wants more government protection against inflation

Most respondents in the survey said they want more government measures to shield them from the impact of galloping inflation.

Asked if additional measures are needed, 86 percent responded in the affirmative – 69 percent said certainly and 17 percent said probably.

In response to the question how they evaluate government consumer protection measures against inflation, a total of 40 percent of respondents said they view them positively – certainly positive 14 percent and 26 percent probably positive.

The total negative responses to the breadth of government measures was 42 percent – 23 percent said they were certainly view them negatively and 19 percent probably negatively.