A new opinion poll indicates that 10 political parties will gain seats in parliament in the May 6 general elections.

The poll, conducted by MARC and presented on private television on Tuesday night, indicated that New Democracy (ND) amassed 22.3 percent of the voter intent among the respondents and 110 seats in the 300-member parliament, with PASOK coming in second with 17.8 percent and 48 seats.

The two mainstream parties are followed by the Independent Greeks with 9.9 percent, the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA parliamentary alliance) with 9.8 percent and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 9.7 percent, and 26 seats each.

Following are the Democratic Left (DIMAR) with 8.6 percent and 23 seats, the ultra-right Chryssi Avghi with 5.7 percent and 15 seats, the Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) party with 3.9 percent and 10 seats, the Ecologists-Greens with 3.1 percent and 8 seats, and Democratic Alliance with 3.0 percent and 8 seats.

A further 6.2 percent of the respondents said that they will vote for some other party.

Also, 44 percent of the respondents described their vote as one of "protest and punishment", whereas 43.4 percent described their vote as one of "backing of proposals".

The 'mainstream' PASOK and New Democracy parties combined, together command less than 30 percent of the vote according to a Pulse RC opinion poll published by the Greek newspaper 'To Pontiki' on Wednesday. According to the findings of the poll, the upcoming elections might even result in a 10-party Parliament, with eight parties in the poll clearing the 3 percent 'minimum' required for a seat and two collecting 2.5 percent.

ND led the pack with 17.5 percent of the vote, with PASOK a distant second at 12 percent. The Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) came in third at 9 percent, followed by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 8.5 percent, the right-wing Independent Greeks party at 8 percent, Democratic Left with 7 percent, ultra-right-wing nationalists Golden Dawn at 4.5 percent, Ecologists-Greens with 3 percent, Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) at 2.5 percent and the Democratic Alliance at 2.5 percent.

Those saying they would abstain or cast a blank vote in the elections amounted to 11 percent, with 8.5 percent undecided.
The opinion poll was conducted using a sample of 1,209 participants throughout Greece.