The research director of GPO polling firm, Antonis Papargysis, commented on the findings of the GPO poll conducted for Parapolitika newspaper, speaking on Monday morning (21/9) on Parapolitika 90.1 radio. He analyzed current voter trends and the electoral prospects of Greece’s major political parties. Regarding the possibility of any party securing an outright parliamentary majority in the next elections, Papargysis described it as a “distant” prospect, noting that the governing party is going it alone and that, despite potentially “seeing the number 3 ahead,” its electoral pools are “drying up.”
On Alexis Tsipras, he noted that the former prime minister’s electoral influence has remained stable at a fixed percentage since July. According to Papargysis, Tsipras’s core challenge appears to be “expanding his appeal to new voter audiences.”
Antonis Papargysis on Parapolitika 90.1: “PASOK’s programme was more convincing than ELAS’s”
On PASOK, the GPO research director argued that the party’s programme presented at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) was more persuasive than that of the Greek Left Alliance (ELAS). He also suggested that PASOK will push to reverse the current political landscape, adding that it remains to be seen “who will go the distance in this race.”
Regarding Maria Karystianou, Papargysis noted that she had initially generated significant expectations, but stressed that moves need to be made “in a different direction.” According to him, she has yet to fully convince voters, even though there is an electoral base that wants to follow her — and it is now “in her hands to hold on to them.”
What he said about Antonis Samaras
On the prospect of former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras launching a new political party, Papargysis stated that approximately 3.2% of voters “would definitely vote for him.” He identified the Greek Solution party and New Democracy as the primary voter pools that could support Samaras, while also noting that a segment of PASOK voters could consider such an option.
With specific regard to New Democracy, he estimated that a potential Samaras party would draw more from voters who chose New Democracy in 2023 and 2024, rather than from the party’s current active supporters.
Undecided voters and New Democracy
On the subject of undecided voters, the GPO research director revealed that the largest share of them previously voted for New Democracy. He also noted that, based on current polling data, this segment of the electorate does not appear willing to return to New Democracy. Papargysis further highlighted the significant regional variations expected across electoral constituencies, emphasizing that these will be elections where “we will see major differences across electoral districts.”
Finally, reflecting on Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his standing within his own political camp, he stated: “Kyriakos Mitsotakis is dominant right now within the history of his political family.”
