Popular Orthodox Rally

Λαϊκός Ορθόδοξος Συναγερμός Laïkós Orthódoxos Synagermós Popular Orthodox Rally




Leader	Georgios Karatzaferis

Founded	1 September 2000
Headquarters	1, Eratosthenous & Vas. Konstantinou 116 35 Athens

Political Ideology	Nationalism, Antiglobalisation [1], Social conservatism, Populism, Euroscepticism, Law and order
Political Position	Populist (with rightist, leftist, and nationalist elements)
International Affiliation
European Affiliation	AIDE
European Parliament Group	IND/DEM
Colours

Website	www.laos.gr (in Greek)

See also	Politics of Greece Parties Elections

The Popular Orthodox Rally (Greek: Λαϊκός Ορθόδοξος Συναγερμός, Laïkós Orthódoxos Synagermós), often abbreviated to ΛΑ.Ο.Σ. (LA.O.S.) as a pun on the Greek word for people, is a Greek nationalist/radical right-wing populist political party, founded and led by controversial journalist Georgios Karatzaferis. Karatzaferis formed LAOS in 2000, after he was expelled from New Democracy.

According to the Popular Orthodox Rally, "the demarcation of the political world in the Right Wing and the Left Wing is not relevant anymore after the end of the Cold War. Nowadays, everyone in every aspect of his or her everyday life is either in favour or against Globalization". The party claims to consist of radically diverse groups that span the entire Left-Right political spectrum. Party president Karatzaferis, speaking on the 6th anniversary of the party's creation, stated "We are united in the only party that has in its ranks labourers and scientists, workers and the unemployed, leftists and rightists".^[1]

The youth branch of LAOS is the Youth of the Orthodox Rally (NEOS).

The party received 3.8% of the vote in the 2007 elections, electing 10 members of parliament. Previously, the party failed to reach the 3% threshold of the popular vote in the 2004 elections, with 2.2%; three months later it gained 4.12% of the vote and one seat in the 2004 European Parliamentary Elections. In 2004, LAOS absorbed the nationalist Hellenic Front political party and secured support from the Party of Hellenism and the Hellenic Women's Political Party.^[2] The "Popular Orthodox Rally" is a member of the Independence and Democracy group (IND/DEM) of the European Parliament.

Ideology

The Popular Orthodox Rally claims to defy traditional ideological characterizations. Throughout its existence the party has been characterized by the press and media as "far-right" ^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10], "populist", "right-wing"^[11]^[12] and "nationalist".

Karatzaferis has described the party as everything from a "pre-dictatorship Right" to a merger of Left and Right to a "Popular Liberalism" in official party literature. In addition, party leader Karatzaferis has claimed that the Popular Orthodox Rally is "a profoundly democratic party." Karatzaferis has stated that he supports "patriotism and social solidarity, taking from all ideologies and personalities I like. I don't care if it's called communism, liberalism or socialism."^[13]

In what commentators characterized an attempt to shed his far-right image, Karatzaferis' has claimed to sport "photos of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro in his office", as "symbols against the Americans". He has also stated that 'he found merit' in the proclamations of the 17th November group which has been convicted as a terrorist organization by the Greek courts. He remains the only Greek politician to have made such a statement, although maintaining that he denounced "the blood, the .45 caliber guns and the killings".^[14] Karatzaferis has also advocated violence, or at least indifference to violence, towards what he deemed as "far-right" in "Typos tis Kiriakis" on 20 October 2002 when he stated, "May they cut the legs of the far-rightists, may they decapitate them, may they rip out their eyes [...] it is something that does not pertain to me".^[15]

There have been claims that Popular Orthodox Rally began as a nationalist party with an Orthodox Christian religious identity, but has steadily broken with this image since 2002. In this vein, party leader Karatzaferis described nationalism as a "poison," noting that he only "spoke of patriotism" in a 2002 interview^[16] The boundaries of such an attempt became apparent in 2005, with Popular Orthodox Rally's botched attempted to re-define itself by re-naming as simply "Popular Rally" ; in the end, the party opted to remain with "Popular Orthodox Rally" because of the stir caused with its voters.^[17]^[18] That same year, the party voted for the "European Parliament resolution on anti-Semitism and racism" and began making anti-racist appeals. The Popular Orthodox Rally has claimed to have included Jewish, Muslim, immigrant, and homosexual candidates on the LAOS ticket alongside communists and moderate nationalists.^[19] More radical nationalists, such as Konstantinos Plevris, have since then left the party, with some nationalists having joined Patriotic Alliance or, to a smaller extent, Democratic Revival. Along with voting for the "European Parliament resolution on homophobia in Europe" and publicly denouncing anti-homosexual sentiments, party candidates such as singer Efi Sarri have announced their dedication to homosexual rights, a move that has further alienated the nationalist faction of the party. The party's spokesman has been accused of advertising and marketing nationalist and supreme court lawyer Konstantinos Plevris's book "Jews, the whole truth", as recently as this year. Karatzaferis has publically denied links between his party and Plevris, noting that the latter is not a member of the party nor part of the same ideological "region".^[20]

Observers have noted that the Communist Party of Greece was losing votes to LAOS just before, for the first time in its history, it joined the Hellenic Parliament.^[21] According to Karatzaferis, 50% of his party's voting base is from the liberal-conservative New Democracy and 50% from the left (with 17% specifically communist). However, some electoral experts believe that 80% is from New Democracy and 20% from PASOK and the assorted left.^[22]

Of the ten Popular Orthodox Rally candidates who will be entering parliament, only half are considered to make up the "nationalist bloc": Giorgios Karatzaferis, Adonis Georgiadis, Makis Voridis, Thanasis Plevris, and Kiriakos Velopoulos.^[23]

Political positions

Despite its ideological controversies, the LAOS party has maintained identifiable political positions on a number of leading issues in both Greek social affairs and European domestic politics.

Karatzaferis, as well as the party he represents, argues that Greece has too many foreign immigrants and that "1.6 million of them should return." On the issue of economic policy, he supports drastic tax cuts for both businesses and individuals ; specifically, he supports the idea that companies generating less than 200,000 euros per year should be exempt from paying taxes, and that couples earning under 15,000 euros (per year) should also be exempt from paying taxes. He supports liberalizing higher education by implementing a program that spends roughly 15 percent of the state budget towards improving education, suggesting this program would lead to the creation of a university in every Greek prefecture.^[24]

On the issue of Greece's structured bonds scandal, he maintains that individuals from both the Greek government and Greek banks have embezzled public funds, executed an elaborate cover-up, and should be punished with life imprisonment sentences. On the issue of Greece's overall political system, Karatzaferis argues that small parties are necessary in forcing coalition governments that would ultimately shatter the one-party rule, wanting a reduction in the number of ministries to 12.^[25]

Karatzaferis has now begun opposing the European Constitution on the grounds that "the United States controls the European Union." He maintains that he is in support of the confederation model for the European Union as allowing for strong national voices to be heard. Karatzaferis is staunchly against the issue of Turkey's accession into the European Union. On the issue of the Macedonia naming dispute, Karatzaferis is against recognition of a neighbouring state under any nomenclature that includes the term Macedonia. He currently does not have an established programme on the issue of the environment.^[26]

Electoral results

Results since 2004 (year links to election page)
Year	Type of Election	Votes	%	Mandates
2004	Parliament	162,103	2.20%	0
2004	European Parliament	252,429	4.12%	1
2007	Parliament	271,764	3.80%	10

Allegations of anti-Semitism

The Stephen Roth Institute at Tel Aviv University has placed the party along with far-right Greek groups and parties, such as Hrisi Avgi, in its report on anti-Semitism.^[27]^[28] Karatzaferis has recognized the killing of six million Jews by Nazi Germany^[29] and has signed a motion for a resolution against anti-Semitism and racism.^[30]

According to Ios Press, however, Karatzaferis years earlier had challenged "Mr. Jew ambassador" (referring to the Israeli ambassador in Greece) to come and discuss the "Auschwitz and Dachau myth" with him.^[31] He had also stated that the Protocols of Zion are being put into effect^[32], claimed that "the Pope and the Jews are conspiring against Greece" and suggested that "the Jews" were responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Jewish candidate Mihail Gkiolman ran on the party's ticket in both the Greek local elections, 2006 and the Greek legislative election, 2007.^[33] The leader of LAOS continues to face common accusations of extreme-nationalism and chauvinism in Greece.

According to official party literature which Karatzaferis read before a press conference in 2007, the party "objects to every type of social marginalization, to every phenomenon of racism, intolerance, and anti-semitism and fully respects all nations and religions".^[34] During the same press conference Karatzaferis stated that he had received an invitation from the World Jewish Council to one of their events but, as the event was eventually cancelled, he was not able to attend.

The party's spokesman, Adonis Georgiades, has marketed a controversial book by nationalist author and Supreme Court lawyer Konstantinos Plevris entitled "Jews: The Whole Truth" (in Georgiades's own words, his "favorite" book^[35]) on his home shopping program on Teleasty (which is owned by the party leader). For this book, Plevris was indicted by the Greek District Attorney on charges of inciting racial violence.^[36]

According to the indictment, Plevris describes himself in the book as a "Nazi, fascist, racist, antidemocrat, antisemite" (p. 600), subscribes to the myth of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, characterizes Jewish children in the concentration camps as "very fat" and "well-fed," claims that Jews are "subhuman" (p. 583), "mortal enemies", and criticizes the Nazis for "not ridding Europe of Jewish Zionism." In the same book, Plevris allegedly characterizes Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General, as a "cannibal" and "descendant of cannibals" and states that Jews need to be 'rounded-up and executed within 24 hours' which is "the only way they understand" (p. 742). Plevris officially denies that the book is anti-Semitic and is countersuing his accusers , maintaining that "Of the 1,400 pages of my large book, the condemnation encompasses only several paragraphs, of which portions were extracted, with the result that another meaning was given to the words and truth is distorted due to the alteration of phrases."^[37] Plevris, critics note, has previously shared a political platform with the openly neo-fascist Golden Dawn party, in the guise of his earlier Front Line party. Plevris's son, a lawyer who has been elected to parliament under the Popular Orthodox Rally ticket, represents his father in the trial and has stated regarding the case "I prefer to be called the son of a racist, rather than the son of a thief, the son of a scoundrel and other characterizations that are used for the politicians of the two large parties" (Eleftheros Typos, 18-9-2007, "The 'hardliner' group").

Position on homosexuality

According to Ios Press, Karatzaferis had related through his television broadcast in 2002 his conviction that "1/3 of Greek congressmen are passive homosexuals with Albanian stallions."^[38] Later on, Popular Orthodox Rally saw criticism both internally and from its voters over an apparent reversal of its stance with regards to homosexuality. Along with voting for the "European Parliament resolution on homophobia in Europe," Karatzaferis has himself met with homosexual activists and given interviews to homosexual magazines in which he has claimed to believe "two adults should be able to freely live together and their relationship include certain legal recognition" and that "homophobia must be fought".^[39]

Karatzaferis has claimed that the only internal disagreement came from the leftist Efthimios Droulias, though it is believed that such positions are partly responsible for the exodus of hardcore nationalists from the party. Another controversy erupted when singer and LAOS candidate Efi Sarri stated "I want all the young sexy girls and boys, foreigners, and homosexuals with me. Specifically for my gay friends, I will try to guarantee safeguards of their property, when one of the two dies, through the achievement of civil marriages or some contract". According to sources with Eleftheros Kosmos, the telephone centers of Tileasty and LAOS were flooded with thousands of indignant callers.^[40]

During the 2007 elections, Vaitsis Apostolatos, a sex-therapist and TV persona who has repeatedly expressed his tolerance and open-mindedness vis-a-vis homosexuality was elected as a MP of LAOS in Piraeus.

Extended arm salute

During the LAOS party convention of 2006 in Thessaloniki, presided by Georgios Karatzaferis, a participant gave an extended arm salute while the national anthem was being played, in presence of the full assembly at the closure of the conference. This motion, videotaped by a television station, predictably caused a stir in Greek public discourse and the media (uniformly describing the gesture as a either a fascist or a Nazi salute). Though some have made light of the fact that neither Karatzaferis nor any of the other participants in LAOS's convention "displayed the slightest reaction" at the gesture, the fact remains that there were 2,500 individuals present during the convention.

Later on, Karatzaferis claimed that he had not seen the Roman salute, and accused rival parties (specifically, New Democracy) of "planting" the person in order to discredit his party. The Greek press has implied that the man could not be unrelated to LAOS because those present at the convention wore name tags. Moreover, although all participants had been given name-tags and registered in order to participate, Karatzaferis did not disclose the identity of the offender he accused of acting as an "agent provocateur."^[41] However, given that registration was open to the general public there is no conclusive evidence that the individual in question was a member or even supporter of the party.

Furthermore, even political analysts who regard the party as "far-right" acknowledge that there is "no Nazi or fascist culture here, so it is not in the mould of Jean-Marie Le Pen's party, but more populist in character".^[42] In addition, throughout its entire history, the party has consistently denounced fascism. Makis Voridis has stated that Fascism and Nazism are responsible for "wantom and monstrous crimes against humanity".^[43]

Conspiracy theories

LAOS parliament candidate Anestis Keramidas has been ridiculed for supporting the Epsilon Team/Epsilonism theory.^{[citation needed]}

Party Members

Former Members

Konstantinos Plevris

Notes

External links

Political parties in Greece
New Democracy (ND) · Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) · Communist Party of Greece (KKE) · Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) · Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS)
- List of political parties - Politics of Greece

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