Greek far-right reenters parliament as left declines

While the center-right New Democracy Party won another four years in Greece’s parliamentary elections, observers were stunned by the entry of three far-right parties, bringing the far-right back into parliament.

Out of 32 parties that ran, eight won a share of 300 seats, with a voter turnout of 52.82%, Balkan Insider reported. The New Democracy Party won the majority of seats, 158, with over 40% of the vote. But what truly alarmed left-wing figures was the sudden entry of the far-right Spartans Party, which won 4.7% of the vote and 12 seats. The party was joined in a far-right coalition by Greek Solution and Niki, and together the three earned nearly 13% of the vote, winning 34 seats in parliament.

Yorgos Karahalis/AP

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The results are particularly notable as the far-right resurgence is partially motivated by the pro-NATO stance regarding the war in Ukraine, according to the Guardian. An important NATO ally, Greece will now have to deal with a large bloc with pro-Russian and anti-NATO sympathies. Along with the rising performance of the far-right AFD Party in Germany’s recent elections, the result could be a bellwether for future elections in the European Union.

The Spartans Party has drawn the most concern, as it is seen by many as a rebrand of the defunct Neo-Nazi Golden Dawn Party, which has been banned as a criminal organization. The Spartans Party earned the endorsement of Ilias Kasidiaris, the former spokesman of Golden Dawn, who is currently serving a 13-year prison sentence for running the organization. Vasilis Stigkas, the head of the Spartans, thanked Kasidiaris in the party’s first post-victory statement.

“We come not to divide, but to unite. Our motto is strength in union. I want to thank those who fought and those who voted for us. I also want to thank Ilias Kasidiaris. He was the fuel that gave us the impetus. We will bring a new style and ethos to the Greek parliament,” he said.

The Spartans, Greek Solution, and Niki are united around a set of principles, largely stressing hostility to mass immigration, closeness with the Greek Orthodox Church, concern over demographics, skepticism toward NATO and the European Union, hostility toward Turkey and North Macedonia, and a strong Greek identity.

The Spartans appear to be the furthest to the right, with its mission statement stating its desire to preserve “the same people, the same language, the same religion, the same kind,” and the desire “to take back the Homeland that belongs to us.” It also advocates the immediate return of all Greek historical artifacts from museums around the world.

Niki’s official party platform dedicates a section to demographics, in which it decries the “uprooting of the native population of our country and its violent replacement by a completely foreign (in terms of culture, origin, religion, language) population.” It also directly cites the Kalergi Plan, a conspiracy theory popular in far-right circles that claims the European Union is trying to exterminate the white population of Europe through mass immigration. The party is also close with many figures in the Greek Orthodox Church.

Greek Solution advocates forming an alliance with Russia, installing an electrified fence on the Turkish border, and stressing of traditional values. It differs from the other two parties in its vehement objection to being labeled far-right and has promised legal action against anyone who labels them as such.

“We are patriots, we are Greek and we are proud of it,” the party wrote in a press release. “Therefore, those who persist in slandering the Greek Solution with false and slanderous characterizations will be held criminally and civilly accountable.”

Meanwhile, the far-left and left-wing suffered in the election. The far-left SYRIZA, once the ruling party, faced its worst showing since 2012, winning just under 18% of the vote, giving them 48 seats. The center-left PASOK won 11.86%, giving them 32 seats, while the Greek Communist Party, KKE, won 7.69%, giving them 20 seats.

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The results, combined with the resurgence of the far-right, caused many left-wing figures to despair in the media. The leftist newspaper Syntakton said, “The elections have produced the ‘darkest’ result of the last half-century.”

“Devastated by the rise of the far right in the Greek parliament. Members of Golden Dawn have returned, via the Spartiates (Spartans), a party backed by jailed ex Golden Dawn MEP Kasidiaris,” Maria Psara, a correspondent for Syntakton, tweeted. “We are at the beginning of a new era and I am afraid of the result.”