Analysis: Secretive far-right party taps into Greeks' anger, fear

REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis
Katerina Karousi, a 76-year-old cancer patient and former Socialist voter, breaks down in tears outside her home as Golden Dawn extreme right party members unload bags of food for her.

(Reuters) - In the port of Piraeus, dozens of young men with shaven heads and black t-shirts packed a small room one evening to hear Golden Dawn's dream of a Greece purged of foreigners, its borders sealed with landmines. "We want all illegal immigrants out, we want to take their stench out of this place," said Frangiscos Porihis, an election candidate for the ultra-nationalist and highly secretive party.

"They shouldn't be here and they will leave one way or the other - the good or the bad way," he told the Piraeus meeting.

With Greece deep in economic and social crisis, the party is promising voters in next month's elections to start by expelling illegal immigrants - before moving on to the legal ones.

Already a subscriber?
Sign in to read full article.
Not a subscriber?
Subscribe now and get full access!

Or... enter your email and start reading this article now:

April 26, 2012

Save article


1. Philip Vorgias wrote on April 26, 2012 9:05 AM	Former PM Costas Simitis threw the door open to unrestrained immigration, then slithered away into the sunset (like most Greek ex-PM's). He's mainly at fault with all the problems which have ensued.

2. Nicholas Kostopoulos wrote on April 26, 2012 12:33 PM	Can you believe what a upheaval the Golden Dawn would do to the present corrupt 2 major parties. Greece could begin to become Greece again, instead of a future U.S. with no money, businesses leaving, and a anti-Christian government. The crooks of the 2 major parties only than can be jailed for their anti-Greece corruption ways, and banned from their evil ways. Lets hope they can change the common person thought of the government or else Greece is donned to always being a poor third rate country.

3. Niko Seretis wrote on April 27, 2012 12:22 AM	Those in power right now in both screwed up parties will never have their own fellow crooks convicted of anything as long as they remain in power. Good point Nicholas. The only reason Akis Jokeropoulos is in jail is because he was so over the top blatant,greedy,arrogant, and stupid compared to the rest of them that even his cronies couldn't save him.

4. Philip Vorgias wrote on April 27, 2012 9:19 AM	Akis wasn't smart enough (or conniving enough) to keep the graft under cover. He went too far with it-and ended up embarassing his colleagues. And that's his real sin according to them-not being a traiter, even though he is-but being a source of embarassment to his party.
You must sign in in order to post a comment.

Thursday, May 23, 2013 Last Update: 1:13 AM ET

Analysis: Secretive far-right party taps into Greeks' anger, fear

April 26, 2012

4 readers comments

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS

TALK TO THE HERALD