Fifty parties, formations submit request to run in May elections

Fifty parties, party coalitions, and individuals submitted applications to Greece’s Supreme Court for approval to run in the May 21 national elections, more than double the number of those submitted in the last general elections (24) of July 7, 2019.

In 2019, four submissions were cut either because they did not provide the necessary documents, or because there were issues with the right to use the party’s title and similar formalities. 

The submissions deadline expired on midnight Wednesday, while the deadline for party ballots (including the candidate MPs) is midnight Saturday. The Supreme Court will announce its final decision on Tuesday, May 2.

Among submissions are those of former Supreme Court deputy prosecutor Anastasios Kanellopoulos with the party EAN, and the National Party, founded by Ilias Kasidiaris, who is serving a jail sentence for his high-level participation in the neo-Nazi criminal organization Golden Dawn. 

A section of the Supreme Court will convene on May 2 to decide whether Kasidiaris’ or Kanellopoulos’ parties will be allowed to run.