There is a scenario circulating in Greece since Wednesday: that extreme-right Golden Dawn will answer with the mass resignation of its 18 lawmakers the government attempt to crack it down as “criminal organization”. Golden Dawn allegedly believes, it would come stronger out of new elections despite the efforts to bring it down – or exactly because of this. GD allegedly believes that it would find even more supporters because of the ‘hunting against it’ and possibly believing that the party had more supporters than in the June 2012 elections due to its “Greek Only” charity work (food distribution, blood donations, finding jobs to unemployed etc.)
Whether this scenario is true or not, I cannot tell.
So far there has been no official statement by Golden Dawn on the issue.
However, the Greek government took position on the matter with deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos dismissing Golden Dawn aspirations as “unrealistic”.
“Greece’s far-right Golden Dawn party would damage itself if it tries to force elections by walking out of parliament in a pique over a government crackdown,” Venizelos told Greek media the country’s deputy prime minister said on Wednesday.
“This is a kind of political suicide for them,” Venizelos predicted in an interview with the top editors at Reuters in New York. “It’s not a threat. It’s a great opportunity.”
The party did not confirm any plans for a walkout on its website and did not immediately respond to calls from Reuters.
Golden Dawn entered parliament for the first time last year, capitalizing on discontent over a financial crisis that has seen incomes plummet and unemployment rise to nearly 28 percent. A fringe party until recently, it has become Greece’s third most popular political force in opinion polls.
But its support dropped by a third this month after an anti-racism rapper was stabbed to death by a self-proclaimed supporter. Golden Dawn denied it had anything to do with the killing.
Venizelos said the government was taking all possible legal measures against Golden Dawn, including sending police and prosecutors to investigate other possible criminal activities such as illegal fundraising and links to the underworld.
Greek media reported that Golden Dawn was considering pulling its deputies from parliament in reaction to the crackdown, hoping to force new elections, at least in some constituencies if not nationally, in order to show their standing is strong and to shake the political establishment.
Venizelos said opinion polls showed their standing had quickly declined after the killing, which had unified mainstream political parties against Golden Dawn.
Public Opinion survey
Golden Dawn entered parliament for the first time last year, capitalizing on discontent over a financial crisis that has seen incomes plummet and unemployment rise to nearly 28 percent. A fringe party until recently, it has become Greece’s third most popular political force in opinion polls.
A survey by the ALCO pollsters in the days after the stabbing found support for the party fell by 4 percentage points to 6.8 percent. Nearly 80 percent of Greeks said such violent acts were a threat to democracy.
General early elections? A clear “No!”
Venizelos said if the far-right deputies pulled out, elections would take place in only 15 constituencies and give an opportunity for parties to present a united front.
“It’s a great opportunity for the so called constitutional spectrum to organizes a unified reaction against Golden Dawn,” he said. [Reuters via ekathimerini]
Of course, it’s a great opportunity for the democratic forces, in case the democratic forces unity and bring common candidates to compete against Golden Dawn rivals. But if they would follow the common Greek practice of narrow party interests, this could backfire and bring a bitter surprise for the so-called “constitutional spectrum”.
Golden Dawn is cornered and under immense pressure. And it will certainly use all means not to return to the political invisibility it was before the economic crisis.
Can you please explain the constitutional formal side of this?
Golden Dawn is not part of the government majority. So if they leave their seats empty in parliament, the government still has a majority to govern , right?
Why on earth would their abdication from their seats force a early election? i just don´t understand it, but of course as non-greek I don´t know how your electoral rules work.
there cannot be 18 empty seats in the Parliament of 300. They will not resign from the party & be independent but they will resign from the Parliament as a party.
Repetition elections will be held in 15 constituencies where these 18 MPs were elected.
Of course, the GD resignation does not affect Samaras’s parliament majority. On the contrary it could increase it if the voters (in 15 elections areas) would vote for Nea Dimocratia or PASOK candidates.)