Through the polls, we try to answer the political questions and questions that come up. But when the time comes to vote, the answers are given—and the choice is made—by those who always have the last word: the citizens, the voters. How will it happen in the May 21 elections, with several open bets on the two leading gladiators, on the entire political scene, on our country and its future…

Voting Criteria: Will the choice of voters be determined by the evaluation of deeds and the ranking of rulers, current and former? Or will worrying about the future and trying to choose the best solution carry more weight? Will their choice be the result of a cool weigh-in or a punitive impulse?

Faces of the future parliament: In the run-up to the elections, the discussion – and rightly so – focuses on the face of the prime minister: he is a decisive choice, and therefore the electoral landscape must be clear. But let’s not lose sight of the value of people who will support him and help his efforts and his goals.

Simple or extended equivalent: Will the upcoming elections in May lead to a stable and promising government, or will we expect a new government in July, as many are already predicting? The result will settle one of the most interesting bets and justify either the supporters of the simple analogy or its critics.

Self-sufficiency or government cooperation: It is very difficult for the May polls to ensure a self-sufficient government (if we, as researchers, did not avoid looking absolute, we would say that this is impossible). To assess this rate, we will have to wait for the next elections with a strengthened electoral proportionality law. However, the percentages of these choices may give us a first “feeling”…

New voters: Those who are voting for the first time in these elections have clearly not given us (electoral) samples of their moods and elections. They grew up on the memories and came of age (or spent their first years of adulthood) amid the pandemic. The entire political staff of our country is betting on their involvement.

Direction of the “grey zone”: This is of great interest and a constant stake for everyone involved in the elections, and now even more so. It has been strengthened since the tragic train derailment at Tempe, and the sentiments and characteristics of its citizens have changed from those of the past.

Central space: In this political arena, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has consistently maintained a marked advantage over his opponents, which has not wavered even during the most difficult periods of his tenure. It looks like the bet has already been won – a bet that promises a big “return” on any other (unlikely) outcome.

Election Polls: At each election, assessments, methods are checked and evaluated – both in general, election campaigns as a whole, and each separately. Not as tools for accurately predicting election results—they aren’t—but as technical and scientific efforts to approximate and reliably capture the voice of the electorate.

The next day: Everything that we have achieved in many areas as a country in recent years through valuable efforts and sacrifices is important and commendable, but not enough and unshakable. Corrections need to be reinforced, and errors corrected. The biggest bet for the May elections is for our country, its citizens, and the next day.

* Mr. Giorgos Arapoglu is the CEO of Pulse RC.