The plenary session of the House turned into a political battleground during the debate on immunity waivers, as opposition parties transformed a routine procedure into a full-scale confrontation. Amid escalating global economic and trade tensions, opposition MPs used the opportunity to criticize the government’s immigration policies, the far-right, Spartan funding, and memoranda.

Minority MPs Clash Over Allegations of Betrayal

Adding to the turmoil, a fierce dispute erupted among minority MPs when Özgür Ferhat (New Left) accused Ilhan Ahmet (PASOK) of betraying the minority community. Ahmet fired back, calling Ferhat a “manipulated instrument” of the Turkish consulate. He even cited statements by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in 2023 about alleged Turkish interference in Greece’s elections to support his claims.

Debate Over the Far-Right and Spartan Funding

The controversy began when PASOK MP Panagiotis Doudonis, facing a lawsuit from Spartans leader Vassilis Stigas, addressed the House. He emphasized PASOK’s role in suspending state funding to the Spartans due to their links with jailed far-right figure Ilias Kasidiaris. Calling for the lifting of his immunity, he declared, “I am not Karamanlis or Triandopoulos. I stand against you, and I tell you that in court, the Spartans will not only face me but also the Constitution.”

Stigas responded by attacking PASOK’s financial obligations, while Eleftheria Plevisi Eleftherias leader Zoe Konstantopoulou, took the floor to defend Doudonis. She then turned her criticism toward the government, accusing Mitsotakis of supporting the far-right, referencing his appointment of a controversial immigration minister, and making inflammatory remarks about Greece’s immigration policy.

Doudonis reiterated his stance, insisting that his immunity be lifted to demonstrate that “we are not all the same,” while Stigas heckled him, shouting, “There is money.”

Mitarakis vs. Konstantopoulou on Immigration

New Democracy spokesman Notis Mitarakis countered Konstantopoulou’s criticisms of immigration policy, asserting that “the government applies international law, which is obviously not racist.”

PASOK’s parliamentary spokesman, Pavlos Christidis, reminded the House of PASOK’s “heroic stance” in 2010 during Greece’s financial crisis, when some called for the country to burn. Konstantopoulou then launched a scathing personal attack on Mitarakis, mocking his security credentials and recalling how he was dismissed by the Minister of Citizen Protection after allegedly prioritizing swimming over duty.

She continued her tirade by invoking her father’s imprisonment under the junta, arguing that democracy was won through struggle, not by figures like Voridis, whom she labeled a “junta minister.” She also accused the government of hypocrisy, criticizing its stance on Turkey, arguing that while it postures against Erdogan, it simultaneously designates Turkey as a “safe third country” for refugees.

Adonis Georgiadis vs. Pappas and Konstantopoulou

SYRIZA MP Nikos Pappas further fueled the debate by accusing New Democracy of harboring former LAOS members and called on PASOK to condemn Ilhan Ahmet’s remarks, which echoed past statements by Mitsotakis about SYRIZA’s minority MPs. Pappas also blamed New Democracy for enabling the rise of the far-right by opposing the Prespa Agreement.

Minister Adonis Georgiadis hit back, accusing SYRIZA of having closer ties to Golden Dawn than New Democracy ever did. He reminded the House that “Golden Dawn emerged in the squares of the ‘Indignant’ alongside SYRIZA” and that SYRIZA had voted with Golden Dawn to block the election of President Stavros Dimas, ultimately bringing down the Samaras-Venizelos government.

Georgiadis also responded to Konstantopoulou’s accusation that he was a Holocaust denier, stating that he had apologized to the Jewish community for his past associations. He then turned the tables on Konstantopoulou, accusing her of being an anti-Semite for failing to condemn Hamas’ hostage-taking and questioning her past legal defense of controversial figures linked to Russia.

In response, Konstantopoulou dismissed the accusations, asserting her commitment to defending individuals whose rights are violated. She further claimed that Georgiadis’ bookstore had connections to a convicted police officer involved in a notorious murder case, escalating the already intense confrontation.