Greece bans parties with convicted leaders from running in elections

9/2/2023 18:17

        The Greek parliament paved the way for banning political parties whose leaders have been convicted of crimes from running in elections, ahead of national polls in spring.
        
        Lawmakers voted late on Wednesday in favour of an amendment aimed at preventing political parties such as the extreme-right Golden Dawn, once Greece's third-biggest political force, from running as candidates, after it was declared a criminal gang linked to hate crimes in a 2020 court ruling.
        
        It would also affect the small, far-right party Ellhnes or Ellines, which means "Greeks", co-founded by former Golden Dawn lawmaker and spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris, who was sentenced to 13 years in jail in 2020. Opinion polls put support for the party close to the 3% threshold needed to enter parliament.
        
        The amendment, tabled by the conservative government, was approved by a majority of lawmakers in the 300-seat house.