Support weak for Greek pro-bailout politicians

ATHENS - Reuters

Supporters of Greek conservative party leader Antonis Samaras applaud at a rally. REUTERS photo

Support for the two parties backing Greece’s international bailout remains at historic lows less than a month before a general election, two polls showed yesterday.

The polls were published a day after the vote was formally set for May 6. The snap election has caused concern among the country’s international lenders, which want Greece’s future government to stick to the austerity policies that underpin its 130-billion-euro bailout. Support for the conservative New Democracy party was at 19 percent, a poll by Public Issue in newspaper Kathimerini showed, a drop of 3.5 percentage points compared to the end of March. The Socialist PASOK shed 1 percentage point to 14.5 percent, according to the poll, which was conducted between April 3-9. Based on those poll numbers, the two parties combined may not win an absolute majority of seats in parliament.

Backing for smaller, anti-bailout parties remained high, the poll showed, particularly for the “Independent Greeks” formed by New Democracy rebel Panos Kammenos.