Greek court bans far-right party from May parliamentary elections

Athens, May 2, (dpa/GNA) – The Greek Supreme Court on Tuesday, banned the far-right Hellenes, or National Party, from running in the nation’s parliamentary elections due to be held on May 21.

The court based its decision on the fact that the founder and backer of the party, the well-known right-wing extremist Ilias Kasidiaris, is already in prison for forming a criminal organization, according to state television.

Greek law allows the banning of a party from parliamentary elections in such cases.

Kasidiaris was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2020, as one of the leading cadres of the Golden Dawn far-right party. That same year he founded Hellenes.

Golden Dawn, which has also had lawmakers in parliament, was classified as a criminal organization at the time and all but dissolved when its leaders were jailed.

GNA