New poll gives SYRIZA 4.9 pct lead over New Democracy

A new poll published on Tuesday, a day before Greek lawmakers start the first round of crucial voting to determine whether Parliament will elect a new president or whether the country will head to general elections, showed opposition SYRIZA gaining a 4.9 percent lead over New Democracy, the larger of the two parties co-governing Greece.

Asked who they would vote for if elections were held tomorrow, 28 percent of the people polled by GPO for Mega television, said they would cast their ballot in favor of SYRIZA (compared with 26.7 percent from a similar poll in October) and 23.1 percent responded New Democracy (also up from 20.2 percent).

The Greek Communist Party (KEE) polled in third place on 5.5 percent, followed by coalition partner PASOK on 5.1 percent, and To Potami and ultranationalist Golden Dawn on 5 percent each. Nationalist party Independent Greeks polled at 2.7 percent, suggesting that it would not gather enough votes to make it into Parliament if elections were held now.

However, when asked who makes a more suitable prime minister, respondents continued to support incumbent Antonis Samaras with 44.8 percent, with SYRIZA's Alexis Tsipras gathering 35.4 percent of the sample - 17 percent responded "neither."

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