Syriza regains Greek poll lead

Greece's radical-left Syriza party has established a narrow lead over conservative rivals New Democracy nine days from a snap election, according to a poll published Friday.

Opinion polls have consistently suggested no party is likely to obtain an absolute majority.

But Friday's Pro rata data showed Syriza, led by charismatic Alexis Tsipras, who quit as prime minister last month, gaining ground and moved five percentage points clear of his right-wing rival Evangelos Meimarakis' party with 28.5 percent of voter intentions.

Tsipras triggered the early poll with his August 20 resignation as his party split over austerity measures forced by Greece's third international bailout.

Friday's poll in the pro-government Ephimerida ton Syntakton daily showed 37 percent of voters see Tsipras as best-placed to lead a government compared with 25 percent for Meimarakis.

But an absolute majority still appears out of reach, meaning Tsipras would have to reach out to other groupings.

Although Meimarakis last Sunday repeated his call for Syriza and ND to form a coalition, Tsipras has rejected the idea outright and only around one in three voters favour such an outcome, the latest poll shows.

According to the sample, 35 percent back such a coalition while 32 percent prefer to see Syriza ally itself with centrist pro-Europe party To Potami (The River).

Only 30 percent back an alliance between Syriza and independent populist conservatives who ruled with Syriza it topped the poll but failed to obtain a majority in a January general election.

Polls last weekend placed Syriza and ND virtually neck and neck.

Friday's poll confirmed the ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn grouping as Greece's third most popular party, with with 6.5 percent support.

Source: AFP