All members (11) of the far-right party “Spartiates” (Spartans), including former extreme-right ultra-nationalist party and condemned criminal organization “Golden Dawn” lieutenant Ilias Kasidiaris, were acquitted of charges related to colluding secretly to deceive the electorate, following an investigation led by Prosecutor Georgia Adilini of the Greek Supreme Court.
The case alleged that the Spartiates party served as a front for the political activities of Ilias Kasidiaris, a jailed former member of the far-right Golden Dawn party, after he was banned from running. The party entered the elections at the last minute, which raised suspicions that it was a proxy for Kasidiaris’s influence.
The court found all eleven deputies and Kasidiaris, who had faced charges of moral instigation, not guilty. The decision was read in a packed courtroom with Ilias Kasidiaris, the MPs, and party leader Vasilis Stigas in attendance. Stigas had previously made public accusations about Kasidiaris’s hidden role, referencing terms like “Greek mafia” and “Don Corleone”, but completely retracted these statements during his court testimony.
“It cannot be said that there was deception of the electorate. One cannot claim voters didn’t know what they were doing. Therefore, they are acquitted,” said the presiding judge when announcing the verdict. The decision agreed with the prosecutor’s earlier proposal, who had concluded that no evidence indicated voters were misled.
The inquiry began after public accusations by Stigas, which triggered the personal involvement of Supreme Court Prosecutor Adilini. Her investigation led to formal charges, culminating in this high-profile trial. With the case now closed, the court’s ruling effectively clears the party and Kasidiaris of criminal wrongdoing related to the 2023 elections.
