ELAM (Cyprus)
Encyclopedia
ELAM the National Popular Front (Greek
: Εθνικό Λαϊκό Μέτωπο, Ethniko Laiko Metopo), is a nationalist movement founded in 2008 in the Republic of Cyprus
. It describes its ideology
as "popular and social nationalism" and promoting Greek nationalism
. The Cyprus Mail
describes it as an "extreme right wing party", as "ultra right-wing". The Antifascist Initiative uses the words "far right, nationalist and racist organisation" and "neo-Nazi gang".
On November 5, 2010, violent clashes between a large crowd of right-wing nationalist movement ELAM and participants took place at the 13th annual Rainbow multicultural festival in Larnaca. ELAM attacked the festival goers, while shouting racist slogans against Turks, Jews and Muslims, migrants, as well as against activists of the antiracist NGO KISA.
On December 28, 2010, the ELAM organized a march against Turkish Cypriots and migrants.
On the 19th of March in 2011, eyewitnesses reported that members of ELAM beat up a lottery seller in Lidras street in Nicosia after a disagreement in political views.
However, ELAM has officially opposed its association with the incidents mentioned, noticing that no ELAM member has been convicted for the specific crimes, further accusing the media for intentionally connecting the movement with the beatings.
and got 4,354 votes (1.08%).
, a zero-toleration anti-immigration policy against illegal immigration
, and Hellenistic education.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Εθνικό Λαϊκό Μέτωπο, Ethniko Laiko Metopo), is a nationalist movement founded in 2008 in the Republic of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. It describes its ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
as "popular and social nationalism" and promoting Greek nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
. The Cyprus Mail
Cyprus Mail
Cyprus Mail is an English language newspaper published in Cyprus. The newspaper is mostly read by foreign nationals and expatriates, particularly from the UK, in Cyprus. It is published daily , and a number of articles are available online...
describes it as an "extreme right wing party", as "ultra right-wing". The Antifascist Initiative uses the words "far right, nationalist and racist organisation" and "neo-Nazi gang".
Controversy
The movement has been the subject of controversy in the Cypriot media and the broader political scene. It has been repeatedly accused of promoting racism and being involved in acts of violence. In July 2010 it was reported that after the condemnation ceremonies against the Turkish invasion of 1974 in the 20th of July, people with ELAM t-shirts had attacked a Nigerian man in Makariou street in Nicosia.On November 5, 2010, violent clashes between a large crowd of right-wing nationalist movement ELAM and participants took place at the 13th annual Rainbow multicultural festival in Larnaca. ELAM attacked the festival goers, while shouting racist slogans against Turks, Jews and Muslims, migrants, as well as against activists of the antiracist NGO KISA.
On December 28, 2010, the ELAM organized a march against Turkish Cypriots and migrants.
On the 19th of March in 2011, eyewitnesses reported that members of ELAM beat up a lottery seller in Lidras street in Nicosia after a disagreement in political views.
However, ELAM has officially opposed its association with the incidents mentioned, noticing that no ELAM member has been convicted for the specific crimes, further accusing the media for intentionally connecting the movement with the beatings.
Electoral results
ELAM took part in the parliamentary elections of May 2011Cypriot legislative election, 2011
A legislative election to the Vouli ton Antiprosópon was held in Cyprus on 22 May 2011. Of the 59 seats, 56 were open for election to the House of Representatives ....
and got 4,354 votes (1.08%).
Programme
Its manifesto proclaims that the movement promotes a strict anti-federalist solution concerning the Cyprus disputeCyprus dispute
The Cyprus dispute is the result of the ongoing conflict between the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey, over the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus....
, a zero-toleration anti-immigration policy against illegal immigration
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
, and Hellenistic education.