Greece: ultra-right party facing exclusion from the election

The Greek parliament voted late last night on an amendment that aims to rule out the National Party of Greeks of Ilias Kasidiaris, the former leader of Golden Dawn, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for participating in a criminal conspiracy, from the May 21 general election.

The amendment was approved with the votes of the ruling Nea Dimokratia party and the socialist PASOK party, whereas Syriza abstained. It increased from five to 10 the number of Supreme Court judges who will have to rule on the legitimacy of party candidacy before elections.

The amendment is designed to strengthen the reform passed on February 9, which prohibits the candidacy of parties whose members have been convicted, even by a court of first instance, of several crimes, including conspiracy.

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