This is a political public opinion poll of the …special kind. Conducted by Public Issue, the pol gives the main opposition party conservative New Democracy 42% and governing left-wing SYRIZA 18%. This 42% is extraordinary for a poll result even if Greeks swear at SYRIZA from morning till the evening due to the over taxation.
However, this poll had Greeks laugh despite the hardships of the economic crisis. Not because ND would win the next elections but because the total rates seem to sum up in the magical number of 130%.
Poll: political barometer October 2016
New Democracy 42%
SYRIZA 18%
Golden Dawn, PASOK 8%
KKE 7.5%,
Potami, Pleysi Eleftherias 2.5%
ANEL, Centrists Union 2%
others 7,5% ⇒ Total 100% whereas it should be 70%
Unclear vote 30% ⇒ Total 130%
Unclear vote means that respondents do not know for which party they would vote.
According to political website To Kouti tis Pandoras,
“In real match rates, the rates for the political parties should sum up in 70% as the unclear vote is 30%, which the company leaves outside the poll table [and mentions it on top right]. It shows the 70% as 100% to create a false impression.
This creates an artificial image, as it shows the parties rates as if they were coming from the sum of respondents and as if there wasn’t the 30%. The tampering is even covered by the title “assessing electoral influence” where it should be “vote intention.”
The website notes that other pollsters describe the poll as a “fraud” saying that it is one of the case that a prosecutor should intervene.
Rania Svigou, the spokeswoman of SYRIZA ironically commented on the poll results among others with a Greek saying “When you hear of lots of cherries, get a small basket”, wrote that the SIMENS telephone centers got fire form the many congrats” and that “polls are not elections”.
Note: SYRIZA newspaper Avgi recently stopped its cooperation with Public Issue after a poll did not bring the desired results.
