Ultra-nationalist and admirer of conspiracy theories of all kinds Kyriakos Velopoulos sold everything he could on his own TV show: from tooth paste, wonder remedies against baldness and books to “exclusive copies of Jesus Christ’s handwritten letters.”
The far-right populist is the big surprise in the European elections in Greece. 4.5% of Greeks cast a vote in favor of Velopoulos and his party Elliniki Lysi (Greek Solution) and send him to the European Parliament.
“3 tooth paste and 3 books at 24 euros.”
“Don’t they see that the man who sells remedies against baldness is bald?” asks weekly political magazine To Pontiki.
“Politics is to sell wonder creams against boldness when you have a bold head,” commented a Greek on Twitter.
… και τα ζώα να σε πιστεύουνhttps://t.co/sOvxrEqDJy#βελοπουλος #velopoulos pic.twitter.com/2kPOcxLR9a
— Stratosphere (@stratosph3re) May 27, 2019
Another posted a “picture” showing a meeting by Velopoulos (left!) and party members celebrating the entrance to European parliament.
Πανηγυρική συνεδρίαση για την "#ΕλληνικηΛυση" στα γραφεία του κόμματος σήμερα στις 18:00 #βελοπουλος #Εκλογες_2019 #εκλογες2019 #εκλογες #ekloges #ekloges2019 pic.twitter.com/JWj43JtIOw
— Vlassis Paraschos (@vparasxos) May 27, 2019
The 53-year-old politician did not focus his pre-elections campaign on the remedies and the books he wrote but appealed on the sentiment of Greeks disappointed over Macedonia. He put all his weight on the “national interest” and the Prespes Agreement, the SYRIZA government signed with the Republic of North Macedonia, former FYROM, in summer 2018, and one of the reasons that cost the ruling party the defeat.
Velopoulos seems to know the subject well and took advantage of the voters’ feeling of being betrayed on the Macedonia issue. After all, he had written a book about Alexander the Great…
He was a member of the right nationalist and populist party Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) of Giorgos Karatzaferis but never managed to get elected in the Greek Palriament.
After years of endless efforts, he finally managed to secure a seat in the European Parliament.
Velopoulos seems to have filled the space far-right Golden Dawn has left due to the ongoing trial against several of party MPs and officials but also Independent Greeks who were wiped out in the EU elections and share similar nationalistic/conspiracy theories views as the Elliniki Lysi.
Velopoulos party was established in 2016 and has no representation in the Greek Parliament. This may change though in the upcoming early elections in June.
Worth noting that two of Karatzaferis’ political “orphans” – Georgiadis, Voridis -found a shelter in New Democracy, while the third one chose his own way. After suffering a sound defeat on Sunday where he presented himself as “European Skeptic”, 71-year-old leader of LAOS announced that he withdraws from politics. Unfortunately, his legacy remains alive.
Some mean Greeks claim that Velopoulos will soon introduce Jesus’ letters to the blessed MEPs in the EP.
Ps I confess I have no idea what’s in the mind of some Greek voters, a 5- to 7-percent in every election, who cast their votes for surreal weirdos. Maybe, deep disappointment from the established political parties and lack of knowledge.
Well, I would like to agree with you but I can. It’s the parties the have been ruling Greece for the past 40+ years that are responsible for today’s situation and not velopoulos or karatzaferis…and velopoulos has no common with hrisi avgi. He is not violent. And yes…I prefer velopoulos rather than leventis or kamenos or potami president…about the “good” parties…Paso, new democracy, and syriza….may I remind you? Olympic, deh, OSE, Greek shipping yards, neo Rio shipyards, koskotas, hellenic stock exchange scandal, oa and Aegean merge, karamanlis resignation and g.papandreous “call for help” from the international monetary fund, pasok-new dimocratia cooperation…and last but not least…syriza….and the 100 twists in the air by mr Tsipras….I am not bothered by velopoulos…I am bothered by the same Greek hard headed people who go back and forth to the same families…like the Americans who vote republic or Democrats….at least in the us that’s the only two they can choose from….
I would like to react to what Mr Velopoulos said in his quick explanation of The Mount Athos manuscripts. Firstly, Mount Athos is a self governed state in Northern Greece where Byzantine manuscripts are kept just as the at the Vatican. The manuscripts he was refering to were translations from Mount Athos and there could have been a mistaken expression. It should be understood that Mr Velopoulos is not a stupid man and not at all fanatic but all the irrisponsible parasites are looking through his history trying to find trash on him. The only thing there is on this man is his energetic, organised thinking about structuring Greece which is totally disorganised for a western country. Let’s face it, where would you find no policy for the vast amount of economic immigrants entering a country with out any rules and regulations. Is Canada or the US allowing immigrants in with out scrutiny? We are a country with a population of approximately 10,000,000 peolpe and who do not wish to emmigrate to other countries for employment just so that Greece is taken over by a majority of immigrants over the years. We have a name, we have an identity and we have our traditions which we must preserve. This does not happens in the western world.