Greece Cuts State Funds for Neo-Nazi Party

Golden Dawn leader Nikolaos Michaloliakos (R). File photo by the Times.

The Greek parliament has voted in favor of suspending state funding for the extremist Golden Dawn party.

The new law was passed by 235 votes to zero.

It allows an indefinite funding freeze for parties whose leadership is charged with involvement in a criminal group or terrorism.

The party’s leader Nikos Michaloliakos and two other senior members were arrested in September on charges of being part of a criminal group, Euronews reminds. The trial is pending.

It followed the killing of popular rapper Pavlos Fissos allegedly by a member of the group which has been branded a “neo-Nazi criminal gang.”  Fissos’ death did lead to a dip in popularity for Golden Dawn.

The move is the latest effort from the Greek parliament to crack down on the extremist party, which gained momentum on a wave of anti-austerity and anti-immigrant sentiment.

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