The litmus test is approaching for Alexis Tsipras. The former Greek prime minister, who resigned on August 20 after having cashed the first tranche of the third aid package to meet the deadlines of the month, again asks for the trust of the people, who elected him last January with a large majority: the date set for the polls is next Sunday, 20 September.
In less than 9 months since the winter triumph, however, everything has changed: Tsipras first engaged in a long duel with the European institutions, which he seemed to have brought home after the referendum held in July, in which he had asked the voters to express themselves on whether less than Greece in the eurozone system, the response had been in favor of the line dictated by the prime minister with a majority of 60%. But then things changed: the tug of war with the EU was lost, Athens had to accept a new aid plan and the majority party itself, Syriza, split internally.
Precisely for this reason, the reconfirmation of Tsipras does not seem so certain: the polls in fact indicate a significant contraction in the popularity of Alexis Tsipras, so much so that Syriza, still favorite to win, risks being overtaken by the conservatives of Nea Dimokratia, the party the more he had supported the "yes" at the last referendum. According to a Kapa Research survey published yesterday by To Vima newspaper, Syriza has a slight lead with 26,7%, but the left-wing party is closely followed by the conservative Nea Dimokratia with 26,2%. The undecided are 10,2%. The third formation are the neo-Nazis of the Golden Dawn (7%), followed by the socialists of Pasok (6,1%), the communists of the Kke (5,9%), the centrist party To Potami (5%), the rebels of Syriza of Unione Popolare (4,2%) and the Union of Centrists (3,6%). The nationalist Independent Greeks party, which was in government with Syriza, figures at 3,1% just above the minimum 3% threshold needed to enter parliament.
According to the survey, 36,7% of voters believe Tsipras is better suited as prime minister. Evangelos Meimarakis, former president of the parliamentary group that assumed the interim leadership of Nea Dimokratia replacing Antonis Samaras in July, comes second with 34,4% of the votes. But overall the electorate is tired, prostrate: 63,3% believe that in Greece "things are going in the wrong direction", while only 24,4% see an improvement.
