Jailed leader of Greek far-right party seeks to get around election ban

Ilias Kasidiaris, the jailed former MP and founder for the Greek National Party (Ellines), is reportedly considering to install former prosecutor Anastasios (Tasos) Kanellopoulos as formal leader of his far-right party in an attempt to evade a potential election ban. 

Kanellopoulos confirmed the reports in an interview with Open TV, saying, “It is indeed true. This change has been initiated. Certain statutory procedures need to be followed, some modifications need to be made, and then, after I submit the statutes to the competent prosecutor of the Supreme Court, I will be the president.” 

In February, the Greek Parliament passed an amendment aimed at preventing political parties such as the neofascist Golden Dawn, which was declared a criminal gang linked to hate crimes in a 2020 court ruling, from participating in elections. The amendment would also affect the Ellines party, founded by Kasidiaris, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2020. 

The Ellines party is currently polling above the 3 percent threshold required to enter Parliament.

Kanellopoulos had founded his own political faction in February 2022, named EAN, with the slogan “the country needs a prosecutor.”