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Populist Leftist Becomes New Political Star in Greece After Train Disaster

 

In a dramatic shift in Greece's political landscape, former Parliament Speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou has emerged as the country's leading opposition figure, with her leftist-populist party "Plefsi Eleftherias" (Course of Freedom) now ranking as the second most popular political force in the country.

According to a new poll by Real Polls published on March 13, 2025, published by Naftemporiki, Konstantopoulou's party has made a remarkable surge to 12.6% of voter preference, overtaking the center-left PASOK party (10%) to become the main challenger to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' ruling New Democracy party, which leads with 23.2%.

This political realignment follows large-scale demonstrations against the government's handling of the Tempi train accident, which has become a flashpoint for broader public discontent. The poll indicates that 55.3% of Greeks view the protests as expressing dissatisfaction with the overall functioning of institutions, while 48.9% see them as rejection of the government's entire policy agenda.

Rising from Crisis

Konstantopoulou has positioned herself as the voice of opposition against what she characterizes as Mitsotakis' "political amalgam of neoliberalism-neoconservatism." Her rise has been particularly striking given that SYRIZA, once Greece's main opposition party, has fallen to sixth place with just 4.6% support.

The poll reveals widespread pessimism among Greek citizens, with 54.5% saying they feel "no stability, economic growth or prosperity" in Greece, and another 25.4% reporting feeling only "little" of these positive conditions.

In the projected election outcome model, New Democracy would receive 27% of the vote, while Plefsi Eleftherias would capture 16.6%, confirming the party's momentum. This is the second consecutive poll showing Konstantopoulou's party in second place, following similar findings by Interview polling company for the newspaper Political.

A New Political Reality

What makes this development particularly significant is the collapse of traditional opposition forces. With SYRIZA falling below 5% and smaller leftist parties failing to reach the 3% threshold needed for parliamentary representation, Konstantopoulou's party has emerged as the primary vehicle for anti-establishment sentiment.

The poll was conducted March 8-10, 2025, just after the parliament rejected a motion of no-confidence against the government.

About Zoe Konstantopoulou and Plefsi Eleftherias

Zoe Konstantopoulou, a lawyer and human rights advocate, first rose to national prominence when she served as the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament in 2015 during SYRIZA's first government. She became known for her staunch opposition to austerity measures and her advocacy for debt relief.

After breaking with former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras over his acceptance of a third bailout program, Konstantopoulou founded Plefsi Eleftherias (Course of Freedom) in 2016. The party positions itself as leftist-populist, emphasizing sovereignty, economic justice, and institutional accountability.

Under her leadership, the party has focused on anti-corruption campaigns, opposition to privatizations, and calls for greater transparency in governance. Following the Tempi train disaster, Konstantopoulou successfully channeled public outrage into political support, presenting herself as an uncompromising critic of the establishment and positioning her party as the authentic voice of popular discontent.

(NS)

Photo: Naftemporiki

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