Greece's Far-Right Golden Dawn Allowed to Run in EU Elections

None of the Golden Dawn party's lawmakers is among those under investigation. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Golden Dawn, a Greek party often described as "neo-Nazi", will be able to run in the European elections, the country's Supreme Court ruled on Monday.

The court explained that, under Greek law, candidates cannot stand only if they are convicted and not if a probe has been launched against them, the daily Kathimerini reported.

Most of the 18 lawmakers of Golden Dawn are currently under investigation over crimes it allegedly committed over the past two years. Assault against political opponents and the murders of a Pakistani migrant and a Greek rapper last year were among deeds currently looked into.

The leader of Golden Dawn, Nikolaos Michaloliakos, is also one of those awaiting trial in jail. None of the acting MPs in the national parliament is in the party's European elections list, though.

Members of the far-right party have argued the investigations against their representatives area part of a "political persecution by Greece's Prime Minister Andonis Samaras.

Golden Dawn, as well as that of other radical parties, gained momentum amid the debt crisis that severely affected the Greek economy, society and political life and managed to become popular among those who considered themselves victims of the ruling political elite. This explains the success of the "neo-Nazi" organization at 2012's general polls, when it received 7% of the vote.

A good result is also possible at the EU election, with polls placing the party third after left-wing SYRIZA and ruling conservative New Democracy.

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