Greek court allows Golden Dawn to participate in European elections

Greece's Supreme Court has allowed neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn to participate in upcoming European Parliament elections. Party lawyer Pavlos Sarakis said the decision had been expected because Golden Dawn had "faith in Greek justice".

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Former far-right Golden Dawn lawmaker Stathis Boukouras (bottom) shouts during his speech, before a vote for the lift of his legal immunity in the Greek parliament in Athens. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:26pm, 12 May 2014

Greece's Supreme Court has allowed neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn to participate in upcoming European Parliament elections. Party lawyer Pavlos Sarakis said the decision had been expected because Golden Dawn had "faith in Greek justice".

The leader of Golden Dawn party Nikos Michaloliakos is escorted by masked police officers to the prosecutor from the police headquarters in Athens in 2013. Photo: AFP

The authorisation came despite an ongoing criminal probe against the party. Six of its lawmakers, including its leader, are in prison awaiting trial. Nearly all the party's 18 lawmakers are under investigation by Greek justice over serious crimes allegedly committed by the once-fringe party over the past two years. Under Greek law, candidates are only prevented from standing in an election if they are convicted of a crime, not if they are under investigation. A date for the trials has yet to be set.

The party's European election list includes none of its parliament deputies. Among its candidates are two retired senior army officers.

Evidence being used against Golden Dawn includes claims of assault against political opponents, as well as two murders.