The Rise of the Golden Dawn in the Context of the Greek Crisis

Abstract

This chapter contextualises the rise of the Golden Dawn within the framework of the Greek crisis. It commences with a short overview of the Golden Dawn’s electoral performance over time since its establishment in the 1980s, with an emphasis on the breakthrough the party experienced in 2012. The chapter continues with an analysis of the Greek crisis, showing that beyond its economic dimension, its political and ideological facets culminated into a broader crisis of the nation-state. The chapter examines the ways in which this crisis altered political dynamics and offered the Golden Dawn increased opportunities. The overall rationale is to place the rise of the Golden Dawn within a favourable environment characterised by the interdependence of demand- and supply-side dynamics.