Greek Supreme Court Ban of Golden Dawn Hinged on Leader Kasidiaris. Whatever the Merit, He Received Due Process

Far-right former lawmaker Ilias Kasidiaris was convicted as a leading member of the extreme right Golden Dawn party [File: Yorgos Karahalis/Reuters]

Greece’s top court bans far-right party from May election

The Greeks (Hellenes) Party is the first party to be disqualified since the restoration of democracy in 1974.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/2/greeces-top-court-bans-far-right-party-from-election

Greece’s Supreme Court has agreed to ban the far-right Greeks (Hellenes) Party from participating in the country’s upcoming general election, scheduled to take place on May 21.

The court’s assembly on Tuesday ruled by a majority of nine to one to uphold amendments adopted by parliament in February, which disqualify parties led by politicians convicted of serious offences, as well as ones that would not “serve the free functioning of [Greece’s] democratic constitution.”

Under those terms, imprisoned former lawmaker Ilias Kasidiaris and his Greeks Party will not be allowed to participate in the vote, despite polling above the 3 percent threshold required to gain representation in parliament….

Ilias P. Kasidiaris (Greek: Ηλίας Π. Κασιδιάρης; born 30 November 1980) is a Greek politician and founder of the political party National Party – Greeks (Greek: Εθνικό Kόμμα – Έλληνες, romanized: Ethnikó Kómma – Éllines), formerly Greeks for the Fatherland (Greek: Έλληνες για την Πατρίδα, romanized: Éllines gia tin Patrída).[3][4][5][6] He was a member of the Greek parliament,[7] and one of the former leaders of the far-right[8] party Golden Dawn. In October 2020, he was convicted of directing a criminal organization and sentenced to 13 years in prison,[9] allegations for which he maintains his innocence.[10]

Ilias P. Kasidiaris

Kasidiaris in 2016President of National Party – GreeksIn office
4 June 2020 – May 2022[1]Member of Hellenic ParliamentIn office
6 May 2012 – 11 June 2019Member of Golden DawnIn office
2001 – 21 May 2020