The party of Maria Karystianou, Hope for Democracy, is showing the first signs of fatigue, at least in the poll numbers.

The latest polls show that the party of Maria Karystianou has begun to show signs of decline. For example, in the Alco poll, Hope for Democracy has fallen to fourth place with a single-digit percentage, down 1.5% in less than a month.

But the Interview poll for Thessaloniki also did not sit well with the campaign staff of Maria Karystianou: Hope for Democracy is the fourth-place party with a barely single-digit percentage, in a region where the party is supposed to have the highest penetration in the country. 

There are also regions, such as Attica—the country’s largest region—where Hope for Democracy is recording low single-digit percentages. This is a cause for concern for Maria Karystianou, who has already begun campaigning.

The disappointing turnout at rallies

The qualitative data from the Alco poll also raised concerns, as only 2 out of 10 citizens view Karystianou’s initiative positively; only 10% see it as an alternative governing force, 42% view it exclusively as a protest party, while 60% express a negative opinion.

However, efforts to establish party chapters throughout Greece are proceeding as planned, though without the expected enthusiasm.

For example, on Samothrace, the party’s first event—at which the party’s representative for the Evros prefecture, Daphne Chalkia-Stavraki, drew a crowd of just… 6 people. Including herself, as reported by local media.

And in Elis, where the party held its first meeting with supporters, featuring Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos as the keynote speaker, no more than 20 people showed up. Of course, Hope for Democracy viewed this as an initial get-together and believes it will draw larger crowds in the future.

In any case, Hope for Democracy does not yet have a specific platform, Maria Karystianou is canceling interviews, while only 3–4 people appear in the media as party representatives, as she has not yet presented that much-talked-about committee of wise men or, more generally, party officials who can prove that it is not a one-woman protest party.