Low turnout in this year’s European elections reflects a trend across Europe, with a strengthening of the far-right. Based on the results so far, far-right and right-wing parties—those to the right of New Democracy and adopting anti-European or xenophobic rhetoric—collectively garner over 18%, positioning themselves as the main opposition.

Kyriakos Velopoulos of the Hellenic Solution party aims to capitalize on this quickly, trying to become the main representative of the “ultra-right” with his early call for unity, which, however, seems to find little support.

The Hellenic Solution party, ranking fourth nationwide, holds significant percentages in Northern Greece, securing second place in some regions with percentages exceeding 15%.

With 40.40% of the votes counted, Kyriakos Velopoulos’s party reaches 9.57%. Following are the “Democratic Patriotic Movement Victory” with 4.42% and the “Voice of Logic” by Afroditi Latinopoulou at just over 3% (3.06%). The “Patriots” of Prodromos Emfietzoglou stand at 1.45%, the “Participate for national sovereignty and Cyprus” at 0.77%, the Movement 21 at 0.32%, the Popular Orthodox Rally at 0.26%, and the National Front at 0.19%.

Overall, approximately 650,000 out of about 3.5 million counted voters have supported parties with rhetoric focused on illegal immigration, particularly on deporting Muslims, and holding ultra-conservative views on Europe’s future.

Regional Results and Call for Unity

Kyriakos Velopoulos’s Hellenic Solution draws nearly all its support from Northern Greece, securing second place in regions like Thessaloniki B (16.09%), Drama (15.60%), Kilkis (16.53%), Serres (16.01%), Imathia (18.53%), and Pella (17.74%).

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In contrast, in regions of Central Greece such as Larissa, Karditsa, and Trikala, the party does not exceed 8%, ranking fifth, as it does in other areas (e.g., Ioannina, Arta, Boeotia, Achaia, Aetolia-Acarnania, Heraklion, Chania, Lesbos).

In his statement on the election results, Velopoulos called for unity among the right-wing parties, referring to the emergence of a “patriotic governance pole.” However, his call seems to be ignored by other party leaders.

Notably, Velopoulos highlighted that parties like “Hellenic Solution,” “Democratic Patriotic Movement Victory,” “Voice of Logic,” and “Patriots” collectively gather over 18%, positioning them as the second political force after New Democracy. He reached out to voters of these “ultra-right” and far-right parties with a message of continued effort until they achieve governance.

Dimitris Natsios, president of “Niki” responded by expressing confidence in higher future results, criticizing the high abstention rate of almost 60% as a government failure. He promised to continue defending Greek interests both domestically and in Europe, thanking supporters for their trust and efforts.

Overall, the far-right gains highlight a significant shift in the political landscape, reflecting broader European trends.