Greece's Supreme Court Excludes Far-Right Spartans Party from European Parliament Elections

Greece's Supreme Court has announced that the far-right Spartiates (Spartans) party will be excluded from the upcoming European Parliament elections in June 2024. The decision comes amid an ongoing judicial investigation into whether convicted and jailed former Golden Dawn deputy Ilias Kasidiaris is the real decision-maker behind the Spartiates party.

The ruling New Democracy, PASOK, and the newly created Nea Aristera (New Left) parties had submitted petitions against the Spartiates' participation in the elections, alleging ties between the party and the now-defunct neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party. Earlier this month, a Supreme Court prosecutor ordered criminal proceedings for electoral fraud against 11 Spartiates members and Kasidiaris.

The Supreme Court's A1 Division confirmed that 31 out of 46 total parties will compete in the June 9 elections, with 14 parties excluded for failing to submit the required €20,000 fee. The Spartiates party, led by Vassilis Stigas, had paid the election fee on time but faced scrutiny over its close ties with Kasidiaris.

Why this matters: The exclusion of the Spartiates party from the European Parliament elections reflects Greece's efforts to combat the influence of far-right extremism in its political landscape. The decision sets a precedent for holding parties accountable for their associations with convicted members of banned organizations like Golden Dawn.

The Spartiates party surprised many in the 2023 Greek parliamentary elections, gaining 4.64% of the vote and 12 seats, with support from Kasidiaris. However, several Spartan lawmakers have since defected from the party following the prosecutions. Stigas had publicly thanked Kasidiaris for "fueling" their rise but later tried to walk back his statements.

Meanwhile, an unprecedented physical altercation took place in the Greek Parliament between two deputies, one from the Spartiates and the other from the Elliniki Lysi (Greek Solution) party, during a debate on lifting the parliamentary immunity of Elliniki Lysi's founder Kyriakos Velopoulos. The Spartiates MP was arrested and faces criminal charges for assaulting a member of parliament.

The Supreme Court's decision to bar the Spartiates from the European Parliament elections is the latest development in the ongoing legal battles surrounding the party's alleged involvement in vote fraud and its links to the far-right Golden Dawn. As the electoral court prepares to rule on objections regarding the legitimacy of the Spartiates' MPs, the party's future in Greek politics remains uncertain.

Key Takeaways

• Greece's Supreme Court blocks far-right Spartiates party from 2024 EU elections.
• Spartiates party linked to convicted former Golden Dawn deputy Ilias Kasidiaris.
• Ruling parties allege Spartiates ties to banned neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party.
• Spartiates party surprised in 2023 Greek elections, gaining 12 seats.
• Supreme Court decision sets precedent for holding parties accountable for extremist ties.