Greece's ruling New Democracy party has secured a 10-point lead over Alexis Tsipras's ELAS in a new nationwide opinion poll by survey firm Alco.
The poll, broadcast on the main evening news bulletin of Greek television channel Alpha, placed the conservative governing party first with 23.4 per cent of voting intention. ELAS retained second place with 13.4 per cent, while the socialist PASOK party ranked third on 11.4 per cent.
New Democracy has held power under Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis since 2019, while Alexis Tsipras served as prime minister between 2015 and 2019. The findings indicate that the ruling party maintains a clear double-digit advantage despite widespread economic frustration across the country.
Voting intention and party standings
Behind the top three contenders, the Communist Party of Greece, KKE, took fourth place with 7.1 per cent. Greek Solution received 5.8 per cent, followed by Course on Freedom on 3.7 per cent, the Alliance of Greeks on 3.2 per cent, and Elpida on 3.1 per cent.
Smaller groups registered lower support, with MeRA25 on 2.5 per cent, Voice of Reason on 2.2 per cent, Syriza on 1.8 per cent, NIKI on 1.7 per cent, and Democrats on 0.7 per cent. Undecided voters made up 15.9 per cent of the electorate, while 4.1 per cent backed other parties, 4.5 per cent chose abstention, and 0.8 per cent submitted a blank vote.
PASOK narrowed its distance from ELAS, with the gap between the two rivals shrinking to 1.2 percentage points, down from 1.6 points in Alco's previous survey in mid-October. By contrast, the Alliance of Greeks, which receives backing from convicted criminal organisation leader Ilias Kasidiaris, saw its support fall from 4 per cent to 3.2 per cent, losing 0.8 points.
Far-right losses and minor party shifts
Kasidiaris is serving a prison sentence following the 2020 conviction of leadership figures from the far-right Golden Dawn movement. His political vehicles have faced recurring legal challenges and bans under Greek electoral legislation designed to block convicted extremists from public office.
Elsewhere on the political spectrum, Voice of Reason recovered ground by climbing to 2.2 per cent after dipping to 1.5 per cent in October, a gain of 0.7 points. The Elpida party, led by Maria Karystianou, recorded a slight increase from 3 per cent to 3.1 per cent. Karystianou became a widely recognised public advocate as the head of an association representing families affected by the fatal 2023 Tempi railway disaster.
Winter living costs and household pressure
The survey highlighted acute public anxiety regarding household budgets and the rising cost of living as colder weather approaches. When asked whether they will cut spending on essential goods during the winter, 55 per cent considered reductions probable, comprising 15 per cent who called cuts very likely and 40 per cent who described them as quite likely.
Another 29 per cent believed cutbacks were slightly likely, while 13 per cent said they were not likely at all, and 3 per cent did not give an answer.
When asked who bears responsibility for high prices, 45 per cent of respondents pointed directly to the government and its policies. Another 29 per cent attributed the problem to the global energy crisis, 15 per cent blamed corporate profiteering, and 9 per cent cited an inadequate number of market inspections.
Government ratings and public mood
Despite heavy pocketbook strain, the poll recorded a modest easing in acute hostility toward the administration. The proportion of citizens who stated that they were not at all satisfied with the government's performance declined from 58 per cent to 55 per cent.
Broader sentiments regarding Greek political life remain overwhelmingly downcast, according to the Alco findings. Positive emotions, including hope, certainty, and satisfaction, registered a combined 19 per cent, while negative feelings dominated at 69 per cent.
