Golden Dawn Rising in Popularity Ahead of Greek Election

In recent polls, the anti-immigration, anti-European Union party, has emerged as the third political force in the beleaguered Mediterranean country.

Days before the Greek election, fascist party Golden Dawn appears to have gained in popularity piggy-backing off the latest austerity conditions agreed to by former Syriza primer minister, Alexis Tsipras.

In recent opinion polls, the anti-immigration, anti-semitic, homophobic, anti-European Union party, many of whose leaders are in prison or under criminal investigation for taking part in murder and gang activity, has emerged as the third political force in the beleaguered Mediterranean country.

The party is polling at between 5.5 and 7 percent, behind Tsipras’ left-wing Syriza and Vangelis Meimarakis of center-right New Democracy.

The Syriza leader called snap elections for Sept. 20 after his decision to accept the harsh terms of bailout program caused dismay among the party and the wider public, which had elected the left-wingers just months ago on their anti-austerity program.

The refugee crisis as well as dazzling economic instability – earlier this year banks momentarily set limits on money withdrawals as the country prepared to default on a loan repayment – have spawned new supporters of the fascist party, whose motto is “the only nationalist choice.”

Demonstrators at the group’s rallies have said they are looking for at least 10 percent of the vote.

Golden Dawn’s spokesperon, Ilias Kasidiaris, who has tattoos of swastikas, has found ripe ground in islands like Kos, where hundreds of Syrian refugees arrive daily.

“Kos has a choice. If (inhabitants) choose to vote Syriza it will turn into Pakistan. If they choose Golden Dawn and Golden Dawn governs the land, then Kos will become Greece again. And that is our goal,” he told residents.

Rival political groups are taking the threat, which could see a reversal of many of the social gains wrought by Syriza, as deadly serious.

“I am afraid. For the first time we have no idea what this election will bring,” said the former conservative representative Fotini Pipili. “What we do know, however, is that Golden Dawn is going to do well, and for the serious minded that is a very worrying thing.”

A televised debate between the leaders of Greece’s two main political parties this week offered little indication of who might win the general election.

Both parties drew 31.6 percent in a recent poll for ANT1 TV, and much of the country is still undecided.

source:telesurtv.net