ATHENS – After most voters said they didn't buy Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' promised economic reforms, a survey has found the ruling New Democracy government's lead over the major rival SYRIZA dropped slightly.

A poll in July gave the Conservatives a 13-point lead but that has dipped to 11.9 percent said the findings of MRB for STAR TV, Mitsotakis' party holding a 37.8-25.9 percent edge.

It had been 19 points in July, 2020 during the surging COVID-19 pandemic but this year has seen Mitsotakis getting less support over his handling of the the health crisis and wildfires, with SYRIZA leader and former premier Alexis Tsipras stepping up verbal attacks.

The lead was based on a question about for whom people would vote if elections were held now but another category over satisfaction in the government gave New Democracy a 14.8 percent lead, 39.9-25.1 percent over SYRIZA.

Respondents were skeptical about Mitsotakis' announcements for economic assistance for households that he gave at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) which found 58.4 percent said it was “not at all or somewhat effective”, compared to 30.4 percent who believed they are “more or less” effective.

Mitsotakis' repeated mini-shakeups of his Cabinet in which he moves people around to different positions in jobs where they have little or no experience didn't convince voters either.

Fifty percent thought that the slight reshuffles were “more or less in the wrong direction,” compared to 25.1 percent who saw it is “definitely moving in the right direction,” showing he has only minority support.