Survey: EMT Governor Topsidis ranks low in national satisfaction poll

A recent national survey evaluating satisfaction with regional governors across Greece placed Christodoulos Topsidis, Governor of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (EMT), among the lowest-ranked leaders in public approval.

According to the poll conducted by the Greek local government news website aftodioikisi.gr, which surveyed 6,005 respondents nationwide between January 5 and January 19, 2026, Topsidis received just 32% positive satisfaction ratings — encompassing “very satisfied” and “fairly satisfied” responses — while 59% expressed overall dissatisfaction with his performance.

Fourth from the Bottom Among Regional Governors

The survey placed Topsidis fourth from the bottom among Greece’s 13 regional governors in terms of public satisfaction. He tied with the Governor of Epirus, Alexandros Kachrimanis, who also registered 32% positive sentiment despite having served for multiple terms.

Only a handful of governors scored lower; for example, the Governor of Central Macedonia Athina Aidoni registered 21%, followed by the Ionian Islands and Peloponnese governors with 28% and 29%, respectively.

Local Media and Public Debate

The report also noted that the findings appear to have received limited coverage by local media outlets in EMT, including some recently established platforms in the Evros region, which some critics accuse of predominantly broadcasting positive messages about the regional administration while largely avoiding negative or critical perspectives.

Critics argue this lack of critical reporting may obscure public awareness of growing dissatisfaction with regional governance, especially as economic and infrastructure concerns persist.

The survey’s findings add context to ongoing political debates in EMT regarding leadership performance, development strategies, and the responsiveness of local media to public accountability issues.