Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

Top Greek court blocks far-right party from taking part in EP vote

by Agence France-Presse - AFP

ATHENS Apr 24, 2024 - 6:28 pm GMT+3
Members of the European Parliament stand as they listen to the European anthem during a formal sitting on the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU Enlargement at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, April 24, 2024. (EPA Photo)
Members of the European Parliament stand as they listen to the European anthem during a formal sitting on the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU Enlargement at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, April 24, 2024. (EPA Photo)
by Agence France-Presse - AFP Apr 24, 2024 6:28 pm

The Supreme Court of Greece prohibited the participation of the minor far-right Spartans party, which is facing a vote fraud investigation.

The party was not on a list of more than 30 political movements permitted by the court to run in the June 9 vote.

The Supreme Court earlier this month had already prosecuted 11 lawmakers elected with the Spartans for electoral fraud.

Supreme Court prosecutor Georgia Adeilini ordered the move on the grounds that the party is allegedly run by the jailed former spokesman of neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn, Ilias Kasidiaris.

Kasidiaris and a lawyer were also prosecuted for alleged involvement in the scheme.

Greece's electoral court is also examining whether the Spartans should be expelled from parliament altogether.

Shortly before the announcement, a former Spartans lawmaker was held for throwing to the ground an MP from another nationalist party in parliament.

Adeilini had been investigating the case since September after Spartans leader Vasilis Stigkas accused some of his lawmakers of being "guided" by persons "outside parliament."

This was deemed a reference to Kasidiaris, an admirer of the Third Reich who endorsed the Spartans in national elections last June.

They ended up winning more than 240,000 votes and 12 seats in parliament, and Stigkas at the time publicly thanked Kasidiaris for "fuelling" their rise.

The ruling New Democracy party and the PASOK socialists last week filed complaints at the Supreme Court, arguing that Kasidiaris is the "real" leader of the Spartans party.

Several Spartan lawmakers defected from the party after the prosecutions were announced. Stigkas later tried to walk back his statements.

Kasidiaris, 43, is serving a 13-year prison sentence with other leading members of Golden Dawn over crimes including the murder of an anti-fascist rapper.

The hot-tempered former food scientist, who was a lawmaker from 2012 to 2019, has preached to his supporters through voice messages from prison and a YouTube channel that has more than 140,000 followers.

He sparked a major legal wrangle last year when he tried to run for parliament at the head of another newly formed far-right party, Hellenes.

After that failed because of a legal hurdle, he switched his support to the little-known Spartans, who only appeared in opinion polls weeks before the vote.

  • shortlink copied
  • KEYWORDS
    greece far-right in europe european parliament eu parliament athens
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Wild horses add special beauty to nature in Antalya, Türkiye
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021