PsarrasEN

Neo-Nazi mobilisation in the wake of the crisis 49several elections, but never gained more many members then joined Newthan 0.5 per cent of the ballot. In autumn Democracy.2005, the party leadership jointly swi-tched to the Popular Orthodox Rally. Ethniki Politiki EnosisIn 2012 some of them left the Popular (EPEN; National Political Union)Orthodox Rally again and switched to Greek party founded by the imprisonedNew Democracy. former dictator Georgios Papadopou- los in 1984. The National Political UnionEuropean National Front (ENF) stood for an authoritarian political regime and demanded the release fromThe European National Front is a net- prison of the masterminds of the 1967work of extreme right-wing organisations coup d’état. The party had its greatestfounded in 2004. It aimed to establish political success during the 1984 Euro-a nationalist electoral platform ahead pean elections, when it achieved 2.29of the European elections. The orga- per cent of the vote and one parlia-nisation called upon other fascist and mentary seat. In all national electionsnationalist parties in Europe to become between 1985 and 1996, the partypart of the alliance and remains active always remained below one per cent.today. For networking and to coordinateapproaches, the organisation frequently Komma Tetartis Avgoustouarranges joint actions and meetings (K4A; 4th of August Party)between various groups. Party events or National-socialist organisation foundedrallies of delegations of other organisa- in 1965 by Kostas Plevris. The grouptions are also visited. So far, the German never took part in elections. Still, it laidNPD, the Spanish group La Falange, the the groundwork for all later nationalRomanian Noua Dreapta, the Italian socialist and neo-fascist organisations inForza Nuova, the Polish organisation Greece. Various members held leadingNarodowe Odrodzenie Poleski, the positions during the military dictator-French party Renouveau Français as well ship and tried to give the regime aas Greece’s Golden Dawn have all parti- more “ideological”, i.e. national socialist,cipated in the network. approach. After the dictatorship, the party was accused of ties with terroristEthniki Parataxis neo-fascist organisations. High-ranking(EP; National Party) party officials such as Aristotelis Kalentzis received long prison sentences for theirThe National Party was a nationalist involvement in terrorist acts. In 1977and pro-monarchy Greek party that the organisation was disbanded.only took par t in the 1977 parliamen-tary elections and received 6.82 per Komma Proodeftikoncent (five seats) of the votes. Chair of (KP; Progessive Party)the party was Stefanos Stefanopou- Par ty founded in 1954 by Spýroslos, previously a key representative of Markezinis, which the military juntathe conservative wing of the CentreUnion. In 1981 the par ty dissolved,

50 The rise of the neo-Nazi party ‘Golden Dawn’ in Greecedisbanded in 1967 alongside all other Nea Elpidapolitical par ties. In 1979, Markezi- (New Hope)nis, who had by now turned openlyextreme right-wing, decided to revive Informal group established by Georgiosthe par ty. The par ty achieved its Karatzaferis within New Democracy.greatest success in the 1981 EU parlia- In a daily TV programme of the samementary elections with 1.96 per cent name, Karatzaferis campaigned for seve-of the vote and one seat. ral years (1996 to 2000) for all extreme right movements in Greece (monar-Laikos Orthodoxos Synagermos chists, junta supporters, Golden Dawn(LAOS; Popular Orthodox Rally) etc.) to gather under the umbrella of New Democracy. To a certain degree,Extreme right-wing party in Greece New Hope was a model for the Popu-founded in September 2000 by Geor- lar Orthodox Rally, which was foundedgios Karatzaferis, with strong ties to later.the leadership of the Greek OrthodoxChurch. Notoriously, it held overtly Politiki Anixinationalistic positions in the conflicts (POLAN; Political Spring)with the former Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia and Turkey. High-ranking Political Spring is a Greek party foundedparty officials openly display xenopho- by Antonis Samaras in June 1993. Thebic and anti-Semitic positions. Achieving essential difference between Political2.2 per cent of the vote, the party Spring and New Democracy (of which itfailed to enter parliament in the 2004 is a split) was the party’s overtly aggres-parliamentary elections. Nonethe- sive attitude towards the Republic ofless, during the European elections of Macedonia and Turkey. Representativesthe same year, the Popular Orthodox of the extreme right also found a newRally received 4.12 per cent, ensuring home within the party. In the parliamen-its chair, Karatzaferis, a seat in the tary elections of 1993, the party gainedEU Parliament. In the 2007 and 2009 4.9 per cent of the vote (ten seats) andparliamentary elections, the Popular in the EU parliamentary elections inOrthodox Rally reached 3.8 per cent 1994, 8.7 per cent (two seats). In the(ten seats) and 5.63 per cent (15 seats) 1996 Greek parliamentary electionsrespectively. In the European elections and the 1999 European elections, howe-of 2009, it even achieved 7.15 per cent ver, it failed to pass Greece’s three per(two seats). However, in the May and cent threshold. In 2004, the party wasJune 2012 parliamentary elections, the disbanded.party failed to pass Greece’s three percent threshold. Nonetheless, betweenNovember 2011 and February 2012 thePopular Orthodox Rally formed part ofthe coalition government under PrimeMinister Loukas Papademos.

Rosa-Luxemburg-StiftungBrussels OfficeAve. Michel-Ange 111000 Brussels, Belgiumwww.rosalux-europa.infoRosa-Luxemburg-StiftungOffice in Greece17, Kallidromiou str.10680 Athens, Greecewww.rosalux.grResponsible for the purposes of German Press Law:Dr Klaus SühlAuthor:Dimitris PsarrasTranslation from the German:Sebastian Landsberger and Tim Jack for lingua*trans*fairProofreading:Helen Veitch and Simon Phillips for lingua*trans*fairAll translator’s notes are from the Greek to German translation.Layout:w w w. m a r g a r i t a n i k i t a k i .co mPrinted in Belgium by:IPM printingFunded by the German Federal Foreign OfficeBrussels/Athens, August 2014This publication is distributed without charge.

Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung, Brussels OfficeThe Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung is an international, left-wing, not-for-profit organisationwith ties to Germany’s left-wing party DIE LINKE. Since 1990 the Foundation hasanalysed global social and political processes and developments. Our work evolves inthe context of the increasing and multiple crises of the current political and economicsystem. We collaborate with progressive organisations from all over the world topromote democratic rights and the right to social participation, the empowermentof marginalised groups and alternative economic and social development. Our inter-national activities contribute to political education through academic research, publicprogrammes and our joint projects with partner organisations. To accompany andcoordinate these numerous projects the Foundation maintains 17 regional offices indifferent parts of the world. The Brussels office opened its doors in 2008. Its maintask consists of networking between left-wing and progressive movements, andactivists and academics from Europe and other parts of the world. We strive for ajust world built on international solidarity.