Poll puts conservatives ahead of ruling SYRIZA by 9.5 points

Greece’s conservative opposition maintains a strong lead over the ruling leftist party, according to a new opinion poll published Thursday.

The survey by Pulse for Skai TV showed that New Democracy would get 28.5 percent of the vote if elections were held now, versus 19 for Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s SYRIZA party.

Neofascist Golden Dawn and the newly-formed center-left alliance Movement for Change were battling for third place, garnering 7 percent respectively. The same poll put support for the Greek Communist Party (KKE) at 5.5 percent and the Independent Greeks (ANEL) at 1.5 percent, which means that the right-wing coalition partner would not enter Parliament.

The survey found that conservative chief Kyriakos Mitsotakis is considered the most suitable candidate for prime minister by 32 percent of respondents against 22 who endorsed Tsipras.

Asked when they think the next general election will take place, 34 percent said they believe it will be held in 2018, while 53 percent said it will be called the following year.

Meanwhile, 56 percent said New Democracy will garner the most votes in the next polls.