Greek Neo-Nazi Leader Kasidiaris Released After 6 Years, Pledges New Party
Golden Dawn ex-spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris walked free Tuesday after serving six years of a 13-year sentence, vowing to launch a new far-right party.
Golden Dawn Ex-Spokesman Walks Free, Promises Political Comeback
Ilias Kasidiaris, the former spokesman for Greece's neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, was released from Domokos Prison in central Greece on Tuesday after serving six years of a 13-year sentence, according to Courthouse News Service. Raising his fist and clutching a folded Greek flag, the 45-year-old declared he would return to politics with "a new, strong national party, such as those dominating all of Europe."
"Today I am back. And from what I see, I am not alone," Kasidiaris told dozens of cheering supporters gathered outside the prison, several of them waving Greek flags and chanting, "We will make you prime minister."
He called his imprisonment "an underhanded and dirty conspiracy" orchestrated by political opponents and said he would announce the name of his new party on Monday.
Elon Musk Weighed In
Kasidiaris' release had drawn international attention even before Tuesday. On July 17, Elon Musk — who has backed far-right groups in Europe, including Germany's Alternative for Germany party — wrote on X that Kasidiaris' continued incarceration was "messed up." Kasidiaris has publicly praised Musk as "the most eminent personality in the world."
Conviction and Time Served
Kasidiaris was sentenced as a leading member of Golden Dawn, a violent organization responsible for years of beatings targeting migrants and political opponents. The group was also found responsible for the 2013 murder of antifascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas. Kasidiaris served in the Greek parliament as a Golden Dawn member from 2012 to 2019 before his imprisonment in October 2020. He received credit toward the remainder of his sentence while incarcerated and had also served a year in pretrial detention in 2014.
Even from prison, the former food chemist remained active on social media, maintaining a YouTube channel with 162,000 subscribers.
A Record of Violence
Kasidiaris has a documented history of violent behavior. A former drill instructor for Golden Dawn members, he has been photographed with a swastika tattoo on his left arm. During a 2012 television talk show, he slapped a communist member of parliament and threw a glass of water at a left-wing lawmaker. He has also struck and spat at camera crews.
In a recorded discussion with party supporters in November 2012, he said parliamentary status allowed Golden Dawn members to "carry weapons legally with a permit." "There's no immediate arrest if an incident occurs, so we can move around a bit more freely," he said at the time.
Legal Barriers to Office
Despite his release, legal experts note that Kasidiaris remains barred from running for elected office until 2033, when his original prison term was scheduled to end. The Greek Supreme Court will rule on his eligibility when the next election is held — currently scheduled for 2027.
The court previously blocked him from participating in the 2023 parliamentary elections, barring his party, the Hellenes, from the ballot after he sought to run as a candidate while still incarcerated. That year, another far-right party, the Spartans, received more than 240,000 votes with Kasidiaris' public backing.
Broader Far-Right Context
His release comes as far-right movements are gaining ground across Europe. In Germany, the Alternative for Germany party recently won a regional election — the first such regional victory for a far-right party since World War II. Greece's own far-right landscape remains fragmented, with several small parties, most of which hold no seats in parliament.
Golden Dawn itself made a dramatic entry into the Greek parliament in 2012, capitalizing on social distress tied to the country's financial crisis, eroding institutional trust, and the weakened credibility of the established political parties.
Source: Courthouse News Service