Ilias Kasidiaris, former Golden Dawn spokesperson, released from prison and announces new nationalist party

Ilias Kasidiaris, the former spokesperson of Greece's neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, was released from Domokos prison on Tuesday after serving part of a 13-year sentence for leading a criminal organisation responsible for years of violent attacks on migrants and political opponents, including the 2013 murder of anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas. Before entering politics, the 45-year-old worked as a food chemist. Upon his release, he raised his fist before dozens of cheering supporters and declared his intention to build a new, strong national party similar to those gaining power across Europe.

Kasidiaris served as a Golden Dawn member of parliament between 2012 and 2019. He had already established a new party called Hellenes before his imprisonment in October 2020. During his time in prison, he continued his political activity through a YouTube channel that currently has 162,000 subscribers. However, he remains legally disqualified from holding public office until 2033. In July, billionaire Elon Musk, who has supported far-right movements in Europe including Germany's AfD, described Kasidiaris's continued incarceration as messed up on social media.

His release reflects a broader trend of rising far-right political movements across Europe, highlighted by a recent regional election victory for the AfD in Germany, marking the party's strongest performance since the Second World War.