Lawyer Aris Papadopoulos has lodged a formal complaint with Greece's National Council for Radio and Television accusing market research firm Interview of voter deception over an allegedly fake political poll.
The filing focuses on a nationwide opinion survey published by Interview for September 2026. According to the mandatory research registration document, polling fieldwork was scheduled to take place between September 23 and September 28, 2026.
Papadopoulos stated in the complaint that the completed survey was already finalized and delivered into his hands on the evening of September 27 at 11:58 p.m. This occurred exactly 24 hours before the date the company declared questionnaire completion and data collection would end.
Under Law 3603/2007, any business or organization conducting opinion polls in Greece is legally required to publish a research identity declaration prior to releasing results. The law stipulates that all specifications listed in this disclosure are strictly binding on the conducting company.
Interview's filed research identity specified that data would be gathered across Greece from a sample of 4,928 individuals aged 17 and over during the designated six day period.
Questions over survey credibility
In his filing, Papadopoulos called on the regulatory authority to verify the accuracy of the company's declarations. He asserted that completing the survey a full day early raises grounded and critical questions regarding its overall reliability and impartiality.
The complaint questioned whether the research preceded the findings or whether the opposite occurred. Papadopoulos asked whether the conclusions presented were the genuine outcome of survey research or produced to order, closing as soon as client demands were satisfied.
The legal submission emphasized that such conduct constitutes deliberate voter deception and urged regulators to refer the matter for criminal investigation. In Greek law, voter deception is a criminal offense prosecuted under Article 162 of the Penal Code, enacted under Law 4619/2019 to protect electoral integrity.
Lack of industry association oversight
As an aggravating factor, the complaint noted that Interview is not a member of the Association of Polling and Market Research Companies, known as SEDEA. SEDEA acts as the official Greek industry body that conducts internal, quality, and statutory audits on member firms to ensure rigorous polling standards.
Because Interview operates outside SEDEA, its activities are not subject to the association's governance. The complaint stated that this lack of domestic institutional oversight has repeatedly sparked political controversies and public criticism regarding the credibility of Interview's published figures.
Despite its lack of membership in SEDEA, Interview is registered in the official registry of the National Council for Radio and Television under Registry Number 7. The company claims to abide by the international ICC/ESOMAR code of conduct, which sets global standards for social and market research. The complaint concludes that the regulatory council is now obligated to test the truth of the firm's claims.
