File photo.
Parliament voted Wednesday to lift the parliamentary immunity of far-right party leader Kyriakos Velopoulos following a defamation lawsuit filed by a political candidate from another right-wing party.
Lawmakers voted 97 in favor of lifting the immunity of the leader of Greek Solution, with 79 voting against and 18 abstaining.
The case stems from a lawsuit filed by Christos Kostakis, a political candidate with the anti-immigration party Voice of Reason, accusing Velopoulos of slander and insult.
Although Velopoulos had reportedly requested the lifting of his immunity during discussions at Parliament’s ethics committee, his party later reversed course ahead of the plenary vote.
Konstantinos Chitas, parliamentary spokesman for Greek Solution, announced that the party’s lawmakers would vote against lifting the immunity, while urging other parties to vote “according to their conscience.”
According to Chitas, the complainant had previously described Greek Solution as “the party of child abusers” and continued to reproduce what he called “filthy articles” despite legal action taken against him.
Under Greek law, lawmakers enjoy parliamentary immunity from prosecution unless Parliament votes to waive it. The vote allows judicial proceedings against Velopoulos to move forward.