Some 63% of respondents believe the Greek government bears the main responsibility for high prices, compared with 34% who blame international conflicts, according to an Interview poll for Politics.
New Democracy maintains a solid lead, with 27.4% in voting intention. EL.AS., led by Alexis Tsipras, remains in second place with 14%, 13.4 percentage points behind New Democracy. PASOK follows with 13%, leaving the gap between EL.AS. and PASOK at one percentage point.
Greek Solution is in fourth place with 6.7%, followed by the KKE with 5.4%. ELPIDA polls at 3.8% and the Alliance of Greeks at 3.4%, while the Voice of Reason and MeRA25 are both on 3.2%. The Course of Freedom records 3%, Syriza and the Democrats 2% each, Niki 1.3% and the New Left 0.5%.
The ‘other party’ option stands at 2%, while undecided voters remain at 9.1%.
PASOK scores 24% for credibility as an opposition party, compared with 16% for Alexis Tsipras’s EL.AS., giving it an eight-percentage-point lead despite trailing it in voting intention.
At the same time, six in 10 respondents (60%) question the opposition credentials of both parties, opting for ‘neither of the two’.
Single-party government or coalition? Public opinion is divided
Voters are almost evenly split on the choice between a single-party government and a coalition, with 46% saying a government with its own majority would be better for the country and 44% favouring a coalition government.
The narrow two-point gap suggests that demand for government stability does not translate into a clear preference for a particular model of government.
Views are clearer on the number of elections, with 54% favouring the formation of a government after a single election, compared with 38% who think it would be better to hold two elections.
63% blame the government for high prices – 34% blame international conflicts
Some 63% of respondents believe the Greek government bears the main responsibility for high prices, compared with 34% who blame international conflicts. The 29-percentage-point gap highlights that most citizens place greater weight on the government’s handling of the problem than on international developments.
Just 2% say they have not changed their shopping habits because of high prices. Some 16% have cut back on purchases of non-essential goods, while the same proportion make use of special offers and discounts. Another 14% compare prices to find cheaper products, and 12% go to the supermarket with a shopping list. Meanwhile, 11% buy smaller quantities, while the same proportion have cut back on takeaways and eating out.
Significant adjustments have also been made to energy use, with 27% cutting back on heating or air conditioning and 21% reducing their electricity consumption. At the same time, 13% say they struggle to pay their energy bills. Some 11% use their car less, 9% compare energy tariffs and suppliers, and 7% make greater use of public transport.
Concern about the future is the leading emotional response to high prices, at 32%, followed by anger at 27%. Some 15% feel despair, 13% disappointment and 9% pessimism. Just 3% say they feel none of these emotions.