Local affiliates of the New Democracy EPP are among the few ruling parties in the EU leading polls in the European elections.
As European elections approach, the current center-right government in Greece maintains its popularity a year after national elections.
However, Prime Minister Kiriakos Mitsotakis’ Nea Demokratia, affiliated with the European People’s Party in Greece, is leading voting intentions among Greek citizens, according to the exclusive IPSOS poll for Euronews. In view of the European elections on June 9, the current center-right government should confirm its relatively comfortable position.
An exceptional configuration, since in almost the entire EU, the political forces in power are on the verge of suffering spectacular setbacks, according to opinion polls.
The moderate conservatives are far ahead of their left and center-left antagonists, Syriza and PASOK, respectively placed second and third by the Superpoll.
The gap between the center-right and Syriza candidate Stefanos Kasselakis is more than 20%. The two moderate left forces, Syriza and PASOK, are engaged in a sort of fratricidal electoral competition.
The IPSOS/Euronews poll from early May shows that PASOK has lost its second position compared to March 1, but the fight with its left-wing rivals is not over. The two political forces are still engaged in a frantic race.
The communists of the former Greek Communist Party, the KKEalso take part in the struggles between the different left-wing parties.
The Greek left galaxy is also fragmented at the level of the European Parliament, since Syriza is a member of the European Left group, PASOK is affiliated with the Socialists and Democrats group, while the KKE is part of the Non-attached group.
In Strasbourg, Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ party should bring an additional seat to the EPP. Siryza and the Greek Communists could confirm their four seats on the benches of the European left, and PASOK should provide three MEPs to the Social Democrats group, after the forced departure of the former vice-president of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, involved in the pro-Qatar political lobbying scandal.
The party Greek solution should further develop and contribute to the group of European Conservatives and Reformers with two MEPs, one more than the outgoing legislature.
Greece’s fast-growing traditional right-wing conservatives have overtaken the KKE in polls.
After the restrictions imposed on far-right parties, the votes of ultraconservative forces could be absorbed by Nea Demokratia, despite the recent liberal measure taken by the prime minister’s party, which legalized same-sex marriage.
The far-right Spartans, who have been backed by a prominent and imprisoned member of the controversial and exiled Golden Dawn party, were recently barred from voting in June’s European elections by Greece’s high court.
Some observers expected the ruling party to suffer political damage due to the alleged involvement of some of its members in mismanagement that contributed to the Tempe Valley train accident.
A particularity from the Greek arena of the European elections is that the success of the ruling party could also come from the candidacy of Fredi Beleri. He is an Albanian mayor of Greek origin detained for corruption.
If Mr Beleri gets enough votes, he will benefit from parliamentary immunity. His cause has transformed into a rather popular patriotic campaign, which could open a dispute between Greece and Albania.
