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M. Continuo

Greek poll shows Syriza holding 5-point lead over conservatives


    ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's radical leftist opposition Syriza party holds a 5-point lead over the ruling conservatives, according to the first poll published since the government brought forward a crucial presidential vote.

    The Alco poll for the newspaper To Pontiki shows Syriza would win with a 31 percent share of the vote if parliamentary elections were held now, easily beating New Democracy, the party of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, which would take 25.7 percent of the vote.

    Samaras has been pushing for an early exit from Greece's bailout programme, which voters loathe. Syriza have vowed to tear up the deal with the European Union and International Monetary Fund.

    The opinion poll was conducted on Dec.8-9, with some of the responses collected after Greece's government said the vote to elect a head of state would be held this month -- two months ahead of schedule.

    The vote for the largely ceremonial post could trigger early elections if Samaras's nominee loses. Greek shares tumbled for a second day in a row, falling 1 percent on Wednesday after Tuesday's roughly 13 percent plunge.

    Samaras will need the support of independent and opposition lawmakers to get the 180 votes needed to elect his nominee -- support he currently does not have.

    On Wednesday, the small Independent Greeks party reiterated that it would vote against Samaras's nominee, Stavros Dimas.

    "It's obvious that our country is heading to elections," the party said in a statement. "In the end, Samaras will not be able to get the number of 180 lawmakers."

    (Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Writing by Deepa Babington; Editing by Larry King/Ruth Pitchford)