Two separate polls that were made public yesterday and today produced radically different results regarding the size of New Democracy’s lead over Syriza, yet both indicate that a large segment of the electorate remains undecided, and that they will judge the outcome of the next general elections, whenever they are held.
A poll conducted by the University of Macedonia for Skai television gives New Democracy a 12 percentage point lead over New Democracy (30 percent vs.18 percent for Syriza) , while a poll conducted by the Kappa Research polling company gives New Democracy only a 4.8 percentage point lead over the ruling party (21.8 percent vs.17 percent).
The major difference in the findings regarding the level of support for the two top parties is attributable to the huge divergence in the percentage of voters who said they were undecided or that they will not vote.
The University of Macedonia survey found that 15 percent of voters were undecided or determined to abstain. The Kappa Research poll found that a whopping 25.8 percent of voters placed themselves in that category.
Many voters not persuaded by ND, Syriza
Though the margins are very different, the results of both polls indicated that the undecided voter will be decisive in selecting the next government, and that an exceptionally large percentage of voters has still not been persuaded by either of the two largest parties.
Both polls show a five-party parliament, with Syriza’s coalition partner, the Independent Greeks, and the Centrists’ Union party failing to pass the three percent threshold needed to enter parliament.
The University of Macedonia poll put the centre-left Movement for Change in third place with 9.5 percent, but it garnered 8.7 percent in the Kappa Research poll.
Golden Dawn and the Greek Communist Party (KKE) rank fourth and fifth, respectively in both polls.
