Pulse Poll: Ruling ND ahead of second-place rival by 15% points
Greece’s ruling New Democracy (ND) party retains a commanding 15-point lead over its nearest rival, socialist PASOK, according to the latest Pulse opinion poll released on Wednesday evening. The findings suggest the government’s popularity remains resilient despite the ongoing OPEKEPE subsidy fraud scandal.
The poll, conducted by Pulse and aired during a prime-time television newscast, shows ND at 28.5% — a figure that exceeds its performance in the recent European Parliament elections. PASOK trails at just above 13%, while SYRIZA, the main left-wing opposition, gains a modest 1 percentage point compared to the previous month.
If general elections were held this Sunday, the poll projects up to nine parties clearing the 3% threshold to enter Parliament.
While the OPEKEPE scandal — involving the fraudulent distribution of hundreds of millions of euros in EU agricultural subsidies — has shaken the political landscape, it appears to have limited influence on voter behavior. Though 75% of respondents consider the scandal significant, only a third directly blame the current government. Another 33% attribute blame to all governing parties over time, while 23% fault the political system as a whole.
Notably, Plefsi Eleftherias (Course of Freedom) is the only party to register a decline, dropping 1.5 points compared to the previous Pulse survey.
Despite mounting opposition criticism and calls for accountability over the OPEKEPE affair, the poll indicates that public sentiment remains fragmented, with no single narrative dominating the blame game.
