Conservatives ahead in Greek poll

Polls indicate that Greece’s majority Socialists are trailing their main conservative rivals by up to seven percentage points nearly two weeks before crucial national elections.

But three surveys released today, the last day on which polls can be published under Greek law, show that the conservative New Democracy is well short of gaining enough support to govern alone.

The polls also found that most voters favour a coalition government to prevent protracted instability amid the country’s worst post-Second World War financial crisis.

Socialist Pasok and New Democracy have been uneasy partners in the five-month-old interim coalition formed under former central banker Lucas Papademos to negotiate a vital second international bailout and a massive debt relief deal.

Voting is scheduled for May 6.