The government’s handling of crucial national issues, from the FYROM naming affair to Greek-Turkish relations, appears to have hit hard on its standing in public opinion, according to a Metron Analysis poll published by Ta Nea.

The poll was conducted by telephone nationwide between 16-18 April, with the participation of 1,200 people aged 17 and older.

At the same time, New Democracy enjoys a 13 percentage point lead over SYRIZA, when one extrapolates the projected result of the next elections.

It appears that heightened concerns over foreign policy issues have reversed the slight gains Syriza had registered over a one-month period – it was still trailing badly – which were due to opposition New Democracy politicians having being implicated in the Novartis scandal.

Only 12 percent trust SYRIZA on ties with Turkey

In a huge renunciation on the foreign policy front, only 12 percent of those polled trust SYRIZA to manage Greek-Turkish relations.

More ominously, there is literally almost zero trust – less than one percent – in Defence Minister Panos Kammenos’ handling of national issues, which are at the core of his remit.

Kammenos has made a string of inflammatory statements that have enraged Ankara and elicited the open scorn and mockery of the Greek defence minister by Ankara.

All that has helped New Democracy gain points, as its electoral result by extrapolation is projected at 36.3 percent, compared to SYRIZA’s 23.3 percent.

Of those surveyed, 26.8 percent said they would vote for New Democracy and only 17.2 percent for SYRIZA. Just over nine percent were either undecided (6.6 percent) or refused to respond (2.5 percent).

The two top parties are followed by the centre-left Movement for Change with nine percent, fascist Golden Dawn with 7.1 percent, the KKE Greek Communist Party with 6.7 percent, and the Centrists’ Union with 3.3 percent.

Kammenos’ right-wing Independent Greeks party, with 2.5 percent of the vote, would not make it into parliament.

Finally, 64 percent of respondents said New Democracy will win the next elections, and 38 percent of them expect a large margin of victory.

Only 19 percent believe Syriza will win, 16 percent of whom predict a victory by a narrow margin.

Dionysis Nasopoulos