Continuing their curious case of contradictions, Greek voters say they prefer the anti-austerity major opposition Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) to come to power but want to keep pro-austerity Prime Minister and New Democracy Conservative leader Antonis Samaras as Premier.
The poll conducted by GPO for MEGA TV was the latest showing SYRIZA holding a lead over Samaras’ party but that he’s a runaway choice over the leftist leader Alexis Tsipras to lead the country, even though voters disagree with the Prime Minister’s imposing of pay cuts, tax hikes and slashed pensions on the orders of international lenders.
The poll concerned both upcoming municipal and European Parliament elections in May which are seen as critical to the government coalition of New Democracy and its partner, the fading PASOK Socialists, who didn’t even show up in the results. Tsipras said they will be repudiated and force new elections in which his party will rule.
Greeks, however, want it both ways according to the survey although if SYRIZA wins, Samaras can’t be Prime Minister unless the results are so skewed that a curious coalition had to be formed. Their choice is akin to Americans preferring the Democrats to win the elections but to have a Republican President.
For national elections, the poll had SYRIZA ahead of New Democracy, 21.4-20.2 percent but Samaras favored as Prime Minister by a margin of 42.8-30 percent and with 26 percent of Greeks wanting neither of them.
In the national elections, the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party was a fading third at 7.2 percent even though its leaders have been jailed or arrested on charges of running a criminal gang.
It was followed by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 6.1 percent, PASOK with 5.6 percent, Independent Greeks with 4.4 percent and Democratic Left (DIMAR) with 3.8 percent. PASOK, which won the elections in 2009 with 44 percent of the vote, failed to register above the 3 percent needed to win seats in Parliament.
For the European Parliament elections – before it was reported the voting method would be altered in which critics said was a move to favor the government parties – SYRIZA was preferred by 20.8 percent, followed by ND with 19 percent, Golden Dawn and KKE with 7 percent, PASOK with 5.3 percent, Independent Greeks with 4.5 percent and DIMAR with 3.5 percent
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