Greece’s Ruling Party Loses Ground as Subsidy Scandal Unfolds

This overwhelming sentiment spans voters of nearly all political affiliations, signaling a deep erosion of trust in the political establishment.

A new public opinion poll by Opinion Poll for Action 24 reveals that 92.8% of Greeks believe the government bears political responsibility for the OPEKEPE scandal, which centers on the alleged mismanagement

This overwhelming sentiment spans voters of nearly all political affiliations, signaling a deep erosion of trust in the political establishment.

Despite the outcry, the ruling New Democracy (ND) party remains the frontrunner, securing 29.8% in voting intention estimates. While this marks only a modest decline of 0.6 percentage points since the scandal broke, the poll underscores a volatile electorate and rising support for smaller or protest parties.

PASOK stands in second place at 13.9%, trailing ND by nearly 16 points, and reflecting a slight uptick in support. Freedom Sailing (Plefsi Eleftherias), a relatively new political force, now polls at 13.7%, down from 16% in May, marking one of the sharpest declines among the major parties.

Other parties see mixed results. The far-right Greek Solution climbs to 10.5%, up from 9.6%, while the Communist Party (KKE) drops slightly to 8%. The once-dominant SYRIZA continues to falter, polling at just 5.5%. A range of smaller parties, including MeRA25, NIKI, the Democracy Movement, Voice of Reason, and the Spartans, capture between 1% and 3.5% each, underscoring a highly fragmented political field. The undecided vote remains high at 17%, suggesting considerable volatility ahead of any potential electoral contest.

When voting intention is adjusted to reflect only valid ballots—excluding blank or invalid votes and projected abstentions—New Democracy still leads with 24.8%, followed by PASOK at 11.5%, Freedom Sailing at 11.4%, Greek Solution at 8.7%, and KKE at 6.6%.

The poll delves into public perceptions of the scandal itself. When asked who is to blame for the OPEKEPE affair, over half of respondents cite “all involved parties,” with 50.3% pointing directly at government ministers and political figures. Others assign blame to the agency’s leadership and staff (16.9%), political middlemen and local power brokers (15.8%), and, to a lesser extent, businesses and technical consultants (2.4%).

On a broader scale, nearly half of respondents—47.5%—believe all past governments share responsibility for fostering a permissive environment that allowed subsidy fraud to flourish. Another 30% place the blame squarely on the current New Democracy administration, while 20.4% point to deeper, systemic flaws in the Greek state. Among supporters of SYRIZA and Freedom Sailing, the majority blames the current government, while voters from other parties—including ND itself—tend to see the issue as part of a longstanding failure by multiple governments.

The poll also reveals a strong public desire for accountability. A striking 88.2% believe the resignation of implicated ministers was politically necessary, including 83.4% of ND voters. However, 38.6% of all respondents—and 44.6% of ND supporters—say these resignations may have been premature, arguing that responsibilities should have been thoroughly investigated before any officials stepped down.

Public reaction to the government's response measures is tepid. Less than half (43.8%) express satisfaction with the creation of a special investigative task force, led by the Financial Police and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue. A narrow majority, 51.8%, remain unconvinced. Similarly, only 40.3% approve of the government's promise to reclaim misallocated subsidies, while 54.2% are skeptical. The decision to place the scandal-plagued OPEKEPE agency under the supervision of the tax authority was met with modest approval, with 39.4% expressing satisfaction.

Finally, the scandal has reignited debate over whether the country should head to early elections. Public opinion is split: 49.3% believe elections should be held as scheduled at the end of the government’s four-year term, while 44.6% support early polls. New Democracy supporters are strongly opposed to snap elections, with 77.4% favoring the full term, joined by a slim majority of PASOK voters (53.1%). In contrast, majorities within the other parties—particularly those critical of the government—support a more immediate return to the ballot box.