Greece is facing a deepening political malaise, as two new public opinion polls released Thursday reveal growing dissatisfaction with the government, especially on issues related to democracy, justice, and institutional accountability. The findings suggest that trust in the country’s leadership is eroding, with a majority of Greeks now believing the country is on the wrong path—a stark reversal from the mild optimism observed earlier this year.
According to a survey by METRON ANALYSIS for MEGA TV, 69% of respondents say Greece is heading in the wrong direction, while only 26% believe it’s on the right track. The survey shows that concerns about institutional integrity - such as the rule of law, transparency, and accountability- remain the government’s Achilles' heel. Though there is also discontent regarding foreign affairs and Greece’s geopolitical posture, these concerns are less pressing in the eyes of the public.
Compounding the frustration is the perception that daily life has not improved under the current administration. Economic pressures - particularly inflation and the rising cost of living - are cited as the top problems facing the country. These domestic anxieties have been intensified by growing international tensions, such as the recent escalation between Israel and Iran.
Support for the governing New Democracy (ND) party and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis continues to slip. Public approval of the government’s performance is low across nearly all policy areas. Just 27% of Greeks give a positive evaluation of the government’s handling of foreign policy - down nine points from May. Only 22% say it has performed well in managing everyday life. When it comes to issues of democracy and institutions, approval drops to 18%, and just 13% of citizens think the government is doing a good job on the economy.
This climate of discontent has fueled calls for early elections. Forty-five percent of respondents now want the government to call snap elections, up from previous months, while support for completing the full four-year term has dropped to 50%. Notably, demands for early elections are strongest among left-wing and center-left voters, but even a significant number of right-wing voters appear to support the idea. Only centrist and center-right voters remain largely in favor of letting the government serve out its full mandate.
Yet despite New Democracy’s declining support, opposition parties have failed to capitalize. PASOK, the main center-left party, still faces overwhelming disapproval, with 83% of voters expressing a negative view. Party leader Nikos Androulakis fares little better, with an 80% unfavorable rating. Meanwhile, a growing share of the public - 35% - say no political leader is suitable to govern. Prime Minister Mitsotakis remains the preferred choice for 27%, followed by leftist leader Zoi Konstantopoulou at 9% and Androulakis at just 6%.
In terms of voting intentions, New Democracy currently leads with 22.2%, a marginal drop from May. PASOK follows with 10.2%, while Konstantopoulou’s party, Course of Freedom, has fallen to 9.6%. The Communist Party (KKE) and the nationalist Greek Solution party have seen modest gains, rising to 7.7% and 7.3%, respectively. The once-dominant SYRIZA party remains stagnant at 4.6%. Smaller parties like New Left (2.4%) and MeRA25 (2.8%) are seeing slight upticks in support.
When these figures are adjusted to reflect likely voter turnout, the losses are more pronounced. New Democracy drops from 30.2% in May to 28.5%, and PASOK slips from 14% to 13.1%. Course of Freedom climbs to third place with 12.3%, followed by the Communist Party at 9.9%, Greek Solution at 9.3%, and SYRIZA at just 5.9%. Other minor parties hover just above or around the electoral threshold.
A major corruption scandal involving the state agricultural payments agency OPEKEPE has further damaged the government's image. In an MRB poll, 74.5% of respondents said they believe there are political responsibilities at the ministerial level that must be investigated. The sentiment is shared even by 73% of ND voters and around 70% of those still undecided.
Inflation and the cost of living top the list of public concerns, with 52.9% identifying it as the most urgent issue, followed closely by worries about healthcare and the social safety net. When asked how they feel about Greece’s present and future, respondents most often express fear (46.7%) and anger (44.9%).
Despite the public mood, Prime Minister Mitsotakis continues to lead in personal popularity and is seen as more competent on issues such as economic and foreign policy. However, Konstantopoulou scores higher when it comes to social policy, transparency, and advocacy for vulnerable groups. Androulakis consistently ranks third across all categories.
Among cabinet members, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias emerges as the most popular, with 41.1% of voters viewing him favorably. He is followed by Kyriakos Pierrakakis (33.6%) and Takis Theodorikakos (31.1%). When asked which party is best suited to solve Greece’s problems, New Democracy still leads with 23.2%. PASOK follows at 10.4%, with Course of Freedom in third at 8.6%. Despite deep dissatisfaction with the government, the fragmented political landscape has yet to produce a compelling alternative.
Speculation about potential political comebacks also featured in the polls. When asked whether they would support a party led by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, 26.9% of respondents said they might or definitely would. However, 67.2% said they would not. A party led by Antonis Samaras fared even worse, with only 15.8% expressing potential support, and 79.6% rejecting the idea outright.
