Ilias Kasidiaris: Is he the most dangerous right-wing extremist in Europe?

Involved in terrible crimes

Right-wing extremist comes out of prison – and makes an announcement

Ilias Kasidiaris is considered one of the most dangerous right-wing extremists in Europe. He spent years in prison. Now he is released – and immediately made an announcement.

After several years in prison, the Greek neo-Nazi and former spokesman for the right-wing extremist Golden Dawn party, Ilias Kasidiaris, was released from prison on Tuesday. With his fist raised and a Greek flag in his hand, Kasidiaris told supporters outside the Domokos prison in central Greece that he was returning to politics to a “new, strong national party, like those that dominate all of Europe.”

Dozens of cheering supporters, many of them holding Greek flags, greeted Kasidiaris as he was released from prison. “Ilias, we stand behind you” and “We will make you head of government” they chanted. “Today I’m back,” the Greek neo-Nazi said to his supporters. “And from what I see, I’m not alone.”

Kasidiaris described his imprisonment as a “devious and dirty conspiracy” by his political opponents. He also said he would announce the name of his new party on Monday.

In 2020, a Greek court classified the Golden Dawn party as a criminal organization after a mammoth trial and sentenced Kasidiaris, former party leader Nikos Michaloliakos and almost 60 other party members to prison terms of between five and 13 years. Kasidiaris was sentenced to 13 years in prison; he was already in custody for a year in 2014 and again from 2020. Overall, he only served around half of his sentence.

This was made possible because Kasidiaris worked a regular job in prison and collected the appropriate credit points. In return, the Greek justice system allows the prison sentence to be reduced.

The 45-year-old, who was a member of the Greek Parliament for the neo-Nazi party from 2012 to 2019, did not stop his political activity on online services even while in prison. He wanted to take part in the 2023 parliamentary elections with his party “The Hellenes”, which he founded in prison. However, Greece’s Supreme Court denied him permission to run.

In July 2026 he caught the attention of the US tech entrepreneur Elon Musk on yourself. He reposted an X post celebrating Kasidiaris and described the neo-Nazi’s imprisonment as “completely sick.” Whereupon Kasidiaris praised Musk as “the most important personality in the world”. Musk is the head of the electric car manufacturer Tesla and the space company SpaceX. He is considered a declared supporter of right-wing parties and, among other things, has repeatedly expressed his closeness to them AfD stated.