The ruling conservative New Democracy and the left-of-center PASOK and SYRIZA face similar challenges.
First of all, they are all sliding in opinion polls. New Democracy maintains a sizable lead and the other two have not benefited from the government’s troubles, notably over its handling of the now two-year-old Tempe rail disaster. Populist Course for Freedom has catapulted into second place instead.
To the polling woes, maybe because of them, intra-party strife has been added. MPs of the ruling party are uneasy and grumbling. And, recently, even ministers chimed in, demanding more pay hikes on top of those announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, igniting talk of a race for his succession.
PASOK heavyweights are turning on leader Nikos Androulakis and on each other. And in SYRIZA, leader Sokratis Famellos is feeling the heat from MPs Pavlos Polakis and Nikos Pappas.