Hide and seek: extreme-right leadership and communication tactics behind bars in Greece

This study critically examines how the Greek extreme-right harnesses persuasive communication and tactical campaigning under severe constraints, focusing on Ilias Kasidiaris–a former Golden Dawn MP sentenced to 13 years in 2020 for leading a criminal organization. While incarcerated, Kasidiaris founded Hellenes, positioning it as Golden Dawn’s ideological successor even as legal rulings barred its electoral participation. Adopting a communication-centerd and discourse-theoretical approach, the analysis reveals how Kasidiaris skilfully rebrands himself through a narrative of victimhood and defiance, leveraging new media platforms to bypass institutional restrictions, disseminate disinformation, and mobilize support during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. The study situates Kasidiaris’ tactics within broader debates on political mobilization and demonstrates that legal repression and digital regulatory deficiencies can be reconfigured into political capital. Moreover, the research highlights Greece’s lenient institutional response to convicted politicians, which enabled Kasidiaris to indirectly influence electoral outcomes, as seen in the parliamentary success of Spartans in 2023. Overall, the findings highlight the complex challenges democracies face in curbing far-right extremist influence while preserving constitutional freedoms.