The Greek Supreme Court banned on Tuesday the far-right Hellenes party — linked to the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn organization — from participating in the upcoming general elections later this month.
Hellenes was founded in 2020 by Ilias Kasidiaris, several months before he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for his past leadership roles in Golden Dawn, which a court ruling had deemed a “criminal organization.”
This week’s Supreme Court decision — delivered with a 9-1 vote — means Hellenes will not be able to field candidates states in the May 21 parliamentary elections.
The judges described Hellenes as a “continuation of Golden Dawn,” and the Greek government welcomed the ruling as a “historic decision” that would keep “the enemies of democracy” out of parliament.
“It’s our common duty to protect democracy,” government spokesman Akis Skertsos said.
Golden Dawn — with a vehemently racist and xenophobic platform — was represented in the Greek Parliament from 2012-2019 and held as many as 21 seats in the 300-seat unicameral legislature, before it was outlawed.
