Far-right parties make comeback in Greek election as conservatives sweep back to power

72

Far-right parties experience a resurgence in Greek election as conservatives regain power

In a Greek election held on Sunday, a relatively unknown political party supported by a former imprisoned lawmaker made significant gains, signaling a political comeback for the far-right movement.

The Spartans party received endorsement from Ilias Kasidiaris, who is currently serving a 13-year prison sentence for being a member of a criminal organization as a former prominent figure in Golden Dawn—a political party with neo-Nazi origins that has been linked to numerous violent street assaults.

Prior to the election, stricter regulations on election eligibility were introduced by the parliament to prevent Kasidiaris from running as a candidate. The party he had founded while in prison was disqualified, leading him to extend his support to the Spartans.

Kasidiaris expressed his triumph through a tweet from prison in central Greece, stating, “We have defeated an arrogant enemy… this is a great triumph for Greece and our homeland.”

The center-right New Democracy party emerged as the clear winner in the election, securing a landslide victory and granting conservative leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis a second term as prime minister. The left-wing Syriza party, their main rivals, suffered a resounding defeat, while three smaller parties were expected to gain national representation.

Among the parties making gains were the Spartans and the ultra-religious Niki party, which garnered support from the fringes of the Greek Orthodox Church due to their opposition to the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program. The nationalist Hellenic Solution party also regained parliamentary representation.

With 4.7% of the popular vote, the Spartans are set to secure 13 seats in the 300-member parliament. Vassilis Stigas, the leader of the Spartans party, publicly expressed gratitude to Kasidiaris for his support in his remarks made late Sunday.

Stigas, a businessman and former airplane mechanic, stated, “In the next parliament, we will uphold Greek ideals and values that are currently absent,” emphasizing the party’s commitment to representing these principles.

According to Stella Ladi, a political scientist and associate professor at Queen Mary University in London, far-right support has become entrenched in several European countries. She regarded the far-right’s significant presence in the election, following Mitsotakis’ victory, as the second most important outcome, requiring attention in the coming years.

Ladi told the AP, “We need to comprehend why a country that traditionally leaned left has granted 35 seats to the far right and determine how to bring voters back to the center without compromising progressive and liberal values.”

Support for the far right, including Golden Dawn, experienced a surge during the politically tumultuous years of the previous decade’s financial crisis. Golden Dawn had representation in parliament for seven years and four election cycles before falling short of the 3% threshold required for parliamentary representation in the 2019 elections.

Kasidiaris and other leaders of the party were imprisoned in 2020 after being convicted of membership in a criminal organization due to their involvement in multiple violent street attacks against migrants and left-wing political activists.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about far-right resurgence

More about far-right resurgence

• Greek election: Far-right parties make comeback as conservatives sweep back to power
• Golden Dawn: The rise and fall of Greece’s far-right party
• Greek politics: What lies behind the rise of the far-right?
• Greek election 2019: New Democracy party wins outright majority
• Greek election 2019: What you need to know