Greece Tightens Law to Stop Far-Right Party Running in Elections

Ilias Kasidiaris, a former Golden Dawn MP who was given a 13-year jail; sentence, presents arguments for suspending the sentence at an appeal court in Athens, 16 October 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/PANTELIS SAITAS

The Greek parliament on Tuesday passed a new amendment to recent legislation to ensure the far-right Greeks-National party cannot participate in elections due in May.

The party was founded two years ago by former MP Ilias Kasidiaris, who is currently serving a more than 13-year prison sentence over his key role in Golden Dawn, a far-right party banned in 2020.

In February, parliament voted for a law amendment that blocks participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections of parties whose leaders have been sentenced to prison for certain crimes against the state.

But the party then chose a new leader, to bypass the ban.

"I appeal to all the democratic forces of the country to finally agree. Let's put aside our differences and realize that this is a major issue of democracy," said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis one day before the parliamentary assembly.

The amendment was passed by 178 votes of the governing New Democracy and left-wing PASOK parties.

The opposition SYRIZA party abstained from the vote and the Greek Communist Party KKE opposed it, saying that the regulations could lead to other party and coalition bans in future. The Elliniki Lysi and MeRA25 parties also opposed it.

"You are bringing an amendment that is the third in a row, and the problem would have been solved with only a small addition to the existing law," said Alexis Tsipras, leader of SYRIZA, adding that Kasidiaris is campaigning from prison "with the tolerance of the government".

Kasidiaris remains active on social media, YouTube...