Greece’s Golden Dawn Party is Happy to Say “Today’s vote proves that the nationalist movement is here to stay,”

(Reuters) – The leader of Greece’s ultra-right Golden Dawn party savored unexpected success in Sunday’s election by taunting journalists and defiantly appearing on camera alongside a party official who went on the run for assaulting a leftist rival.

Hundreds of cheering supporters thronged the party’s headquarters in Athens and officials threw ballot papers as confetti from windows after the group defied predictions to once again emerge as among the winners of the night.

“Today’s vote proves that the nationalist movement is here to stay,” leader Nikolaos Mihaloliakos said in a televised message. “Golden Dawn represents the Greece of the future.”

An official forecast showed the party was set to retain the 7 percent share of the vote it took in last month’s inconclusive election, despite polls showing shrinking support as Greeks watched its members ordering reporters to stand to attention, denying the Holocaust or smiling next to an Auschwitz oven.

“I offer my most heartfelt condolences to all who tried to not only reduce Golden Dawn’s support, but also prevent it from entering parliament: Ladies and gentlemen, you’ve lost. Both you and the interests you represent,” Mihaloliakos said.

“The fight against you goes on, the fight against the misinformation of the Greek people goes on.”

Pollsters said they were shocked to see Golden Dawn consolidate gains after an incident where spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris first hurled water at a leftist rival and then slapped another female rival during a live television debate.