Neo-Nazis win more seats in Greek election

NEO-NAZI PARTY Golden Dawn saw its parliamentary power boosted in the Greek election last Sunday.

The far-right party came third, winning seven per cent of the vote, up from 6.3 per cent in the last election. This translated into 19 seats in parliament, a gain of two seats.

Golden Dawn spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris said: “The party has proved that it is a leading-role party and not a party of protest voters.”

“This is a worrying outcome,” said Minos Moisis, president of the Jewish Community of Athens.

“A party that is clearly a Nazi organisation, that is accused of criminal acts, that takes extreme stances against immigrants and refugees, and that claims that Greece is victim of Zionists worldwide, has cemented its position as a major political power.”

Mr Moisis added: “Antisemitism is part of their agenda and the Jewish community faces this development with bitter feelings and concern. A pan-European front against rising antisemitism needs to emerge, as the phenomenon may sweep other countries. Europe should not become a theatre for antisemitism once again.”

This result comes amid the ongoing criminal trial of several members of Golden Dawn. The party’s leader, Nikolaos Michaloliakos, has publicly assumed “political responsibility” for the murder of left-wing rapper Pavlos Fyssas in 2013.

Both Michaloliakos and Kasidiaris are Holocaust-deniers and have repeatedly blamed Jews for the economic crisis in Greece.

In the election, hard-left Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was returned to power after his party, Syriza, won 35.5 per cent of the vote.