Greece: Conservatives on edge

Greece's forest fires are still smouldering, albeit only in political terms. Anger over the government's handling of recent conflagrations may threaten Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis's chances of gaining a comfortable majority in the country's 300-member parliament this Sunday.

Karamanlis is confident his liberal-conservative New Democracy party will win more votes than any other in the election. He will not seek a coalition government in the event of a hung parliament. If Karamanlis' party fails to win an outright majority, there will be new elections in a month's time. 

There will likely be a low turnout -- especially in the fire-ravaged Peloponnese region -- due to a large rise in the number of undecided voters. Recent polls give New Democracy 37.4% of the projected vote, ahead of the socialist PASOK party, which has 36%. The Communist Party will hold steady with around 6% of the vote. The centre-left wing party of Synaspismos should pass the 3% threshold to get into parliament.

Fire victims have the potential to sway the result; New Democracy may hemorrhage protest votes to the right wing Orthodox Rally party, led by a former ND member.