Undecided voters may determine Greece’s next prime minister

Global Business

In a few days Greeks will head to the polls to vote for their next government. This snap election comes at a time when Greece once again is at a crossroads, with a frail economy and its future in the Eurozone in question.

Conservative New Democracy, which leads the current coalition, is trailing the left Syriza opposition. But one of the big questions during this election is the role of the undecided. CCTV’s Filio Kontrafouri reported from Athens.

Undecided voters may determine Greece\'s next prime minister

In a few days Greeks will head to the polls to vote for their next government. This snap election comes at a time when Greece once again is at a crossroads, with a frail economy and its future in the Eurozone in question. Conservative New Democracy, which leads the current coalition, is trailing the left Syriza opposition. But one of the big questions during this election is the role of the undecided. CCTV’s Filio Kontrafouri reported from Athens.

If there’s someone who wants to see Greece back on its feet, it’s this man: a motion graphics designer in his mid-30s and educated abroad, he works at a storeroom for 600 euros a month. It took him four years to find this job. He wants to start a family but financially, he can’t.

“When we had the last elections, the current prime minister gave promises, about 18 measures, to get the economy back into the game. He didn’t keep his promises, so why should I vote for him?” said undecided voter Giorgos Tsikalakis. “On the other hand, the opposition, well they don’t seem to have a stable opinion about certain things, about the economy, the health system, the educational system. So why should I vote for them? I can’t trust them anymore. I can’t trust anyone.”

According to polls, the undecided make up between 10 and 15 percent. The percentage may not be as high but the stakes for the parties are. For the Syriza opposition, the undecided could determine the difference between a win and an outright victory.

In an attempt to win support among the undecided, the prime minister changed tactics. Instead of focusing on the theory that Syriza poses a danger, he unveiled a plan focusing on reforms and growth.

Anti-establishment Syriza, on the other hand, adopted a more pro-European approach and became more mainstream.

“It’s a classic political strategy,” electoral behavior analyst Ioannis Tsirmp said. “They muddle what they propose. They become more mellow in their position and give out their hand to those people who have not decided what to vote.”

With 18 parties and four coalitions running in these elections, Greeks still have ample choices. What they don’t have is trust towards their politicians.

“There is a distance from the political system, which is less legitimized than it was in the past, and this distance makes people unable to decide fast or easily what is best for them,” Tsirmp said. “When you distance yourself from something, it’s a lot harder and less clear to decide what you’re going to vote.”

But for undecided and disillusioned voters, there’s always another option.

“I might take a decision and say let’s go and vote, or don’t go and vote. It doesn’t matter anymore. You are trapped, so you can’t do anything to change that,” Tsikalakis said. “I mean, who is going to change this?”

That’s the question Greeks will try to answer on Jan. 25.