Former Golden Dawn deputy leader, Ilias Kasidiaris, currently serving a jail sentence, has announced his candidacy for Athens mayor. He revealed his intention to run with the political party Free Athenians, expressing his goal to make it to the second round of the elections and ultimately be elected as the mayor.

Golden Dawn, a far-right, neo-nazi, and ultranationalist party, was banned in Greece in 2020, and its leadership faced criminal investigation and prison sentences. Despite this, Kasidiaris aims to bring his ideologies to the forefront of the mayoral race.

In a statement presented by his lawyer, Kasidiaris emphasized that “Athens can and must preserve its Greek identity and historical character, not succumb to the onslaught of globalization and the visible risk of replacing its Greek population,” Kasidiaris stated.

“The Christian faith and tradition of Athens will be preserved intact,” he added.

“Our priority is the well-being, safety, and economic development of the Athenian citizen. United, we can once again make Athens the capital of the Greeks,” Kasidiaris concluded.

However, Kasidiaris may be prevented from participating in the mayoral elections through a new amendment, similar to how he was blocked from running in previous general elections. In those instances, the Supreme Court had prohibited his candidacy, leading Kasidiaris to endorse the far-right Spartans party, which secured 4.7% of the vote and 13 seats in the parliament.

Vassilis Stigas, the leader of the Spartans, thanked Kasidiaris for his support, describing the party “as a bulwark against the decline and sell-out of Greece and its traditions of Hellenism.”

“I thank Ilias Kasidiaris for being the fuel that gave us the impetus to reach this result,” Stigas said at the time and described the Spartans as “the iron arm and the real bulwark that will stop the decline and the sell-out of Greece and the Greeks.”

Despite his imprisonment, Kasidiaris remains an influential figure in Greek politics, using his backing of the Spartans as a testament to his impact. He celebrated their success from his cell and hailed it as a triumph for Greeks fighting for the Fatherland and a defeat for the power system. He perceives the establishment of a strong National faction in political life as a significant step forward.