Support for the two parties backing Greece's technocrat prime minister Lucas Papademos remains low as leftist, anti-bailout parties hold on to gains ahead of an election expected in late April or early May, two polls showed today.
Support for the conservative New Democracy party stood at 25 per cent, while the socialist PASOK party's ratings came in at 11 per cent, according to a survey by pollster Public Issue.
New Democracy have lost ground from 28 per cent in the previous March poll, while backing for PASOK remained stable.
Based on the poll data, New Democracy would fail to win an absolute majority and would have to depend on its current co-ruling partner - the Socialists - to govern.
The two parties have been suffering in polls because of their backing for the debt-laden country's second bailout package that imposes painful austerity cuts.
Backing for the smaller, anti-bailout parties remained high - with the Democratic Left taking 15.5 per cent from 16 per cent in the previous poll. The KKE communists gained 0.5 percentage points to 11.5, with support for Left Coalition unchanged at 12 per cent.
The election is expected to be called once the Greek parliament passes a law on the new bailout this month, with officials predicting it will be held in late April or early May.
According to another survey carried out by pollsters Pulse this week, support for New Democracy stood at 23 per cent, while PASOK's ratings stood at 13.5 per cent.
That survey also showed 31 percent of Greeks said a bond swap the country concluded this week was negative for Greece, while 36 per cent thought it did not change the current situation.
Only 26 per cent considered it positive for the country.
Reuters