Alexandra Sdouko, the press spokesperson for Greece's governing New Democracy party, said a recent opinion poll shows growing recognition among Greeks of the government's economic measures, even as the party trails behind that figure in current voting intention.
Speaking in appearances on state broadcaster ERT News and on Flash 99.4 radio in Thessaloniki, Sdouko cited a survey by pollster GPO showing that 36% of respondents gave a positive evaluation of the government's economic measures, while 44.6% considered New Democracy's economic programme realistic and properly costed.
Sdouko said those figures sit well above New Democracy's current standing in voting-intention polls, which she said points to a wider circle of citizens who are listening to the party's message, recognise the seriousness of its proposals and could be persuaded to move closer to it. She said the party's task before the next election is to speak to those voters and convince them, in pursuit of what she called its clear strategic goal of winning a governing majority on its own.
2.2 Billion Euro Support Package
Sdouko noted that a package of measures worth 2.2 billion euros was announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair, the annual trade exhibition where Greek prime ministers traditionally set out their economic policy each September, and said it is expected to soon be felt in the finances of individual citizens and businesses.
She said the central political message behind the measures is that the Greek economy has recovered from the destructive effects of the financial crisis, though she added that this is not a moment for celebration, nor does the government overlook problems that remain, chiefly inflation and the housing crisis. She said that as the state collects more revenue thanks to growth and efforts against tax evasion, that money is being channelled back to society to raise incomes. She said Greece has crossed to the other side of the river, noting that while powerful states elsewhere in Europe are discussing necessary cuts, Greece, thanks to the efforts of its people, is instead discussing how to fairly distribute its surpluses.
Winter Energy Risks
Asked about difficult international conditions pushing up fuel prices, Sdouko said the country faces a winter of heightened risk and an extremely unstable international environment, with oil trading above 100 dollars a barrel, natural gas affected by developments in the Middle East, and significant uncertainty in transport and global supply chains. She said this is precisely why it matters that the government can, with planning and effectiveness, support citizens now while retaining the capacity to intervene again in future.
She recalled that during the previous energy crisis, triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government spent about 10 billion euros supporting electricity bills. Last year, she said, the prime minister announced measures worth 1.76 billion euros at the Thessaloniki fair, and a few months later, when a crisis erupted over the Strait of Hormuz, the government rolled out a further 700 million euro package to support households.
Criticism of Alexis Tsipras
Sdouko also responded to remarks made by Alexis Tsipras, the former prime minister and one-time Syriza leader who has recently unveiled his own economic proposals. She described his effort as a desperate attempt to present a new, more mature and settled version of himself, adding that once people hear his proposals, they immediately recall why Greek society rejected him so emphatically.
She said Tsipras is repeating the same pattern, promising benefits while admitting he does not know how much money will be available to fund them, and pledging to tax great wealth without naming who would be taxed or putting numbers on the plan. She said the last time he pursued that approach, it ended up hitting the pockets of the middle class.
Coalition Scenarios Ruled Out
On the political landscape, Sdouko said New Democracy's clear strategic goal remains a governing majority on its own, a fight she said the party will wage until the last day, while stressing that the ultimate decision rests with voters.
Asked about possible cooperation with other parties, she categorically ruled it out. She pointed to a decision taken at PASOK's own party congress against cooperation, noting that such an arrangement takes two sides and cannot be forced. She also firmly excluded any cooperation with a potential new party led by Antonis Samaras, the former prime minister and former New Democracy leader.
