Greece's main opposition, the anti-bailout Syriza party, has widened its lead over the ruling conservatives, a poll showed on Saturday, amid rising speculation that a presidential vote early next year may lead to early elections. The survey by Public Issue for "Efimerida ton Syntaktwn" newspaper showed Syriza leading with 11 percentage points over Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' New Democracy party, up from 7 points in a poll conducted by the same agency in July.
The pick of a new president in early 2015 has muddied Greece's political scene and could lead to snap polls before the government's term ends in 2016, given the increasingly popular opposition's pledge to block any candidate proposed by the government. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' ruling coalition, with 154 deputies in the 300-seat parliament, has downplayed early elections talk but will need the backing of at least 180 lawmakers to select a president, support he is not guaranteed.