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The Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.O.S. - ΛΑ.Ο.Σ) ( quasi- Nationalist Populist Political Party , founded and led by controversial journalist Georgios Karatzaferis . Karatzaferis formed LA.O.S. in 2000 , after he was expelled from New Democracy . According to the Popular Orthodox Rally, "the demarcation of the political world in the Right Wing and the Left Wing is not relevant anymore after the end of the Cold War . Nowadays, everyone in every aspect of his or her everyday life is either in favour or against Globalization". The party claims to consist of radically diverse groups that span the entire Left-Right political spectrum. Party president Karatzaferis, speaking on the 6th anniversary of the party's creation, stated "We are united in the only party that has in its ranks labourers and scientists, workers and the unemployed, leftists and rightists". Georgios Karatzaferis, "6 Years Popular Orthodox Rally", 14 September 2006 The youth branch of LA.O.S. is the ''Youth of the Orthodox Rally'' or NE.O.S. . The party failed to reach the 3% threshold of the popular vote in the ) of the European Parliament . IDEOLOGY Due to the diverse elements that make up the party, Popular Orthodox Rally is difficult to characterize ideologically. In addition, its ideology has seen a marked change over the years. Throughout its existence it has been characterized by the media as "populist", "right-wing" First term judged by second, 10 August 2007 Wall of flame threatens to engulf birthplace of the Olympic Games, 27 August 2007 , "far-right", and "nationalist". Karatzaferis has described the party as everything from a "pre-dictatorship Right" to a merger of Left and Right to a "Popular Liberalism" in official party literature. In addition, party leader Karatzaferis has claimed that the Popular Orthodox Rally is "a profoundly democratic party". Karatzaferis has stated that he supports "patriotism and social solidarity, taking from all ideologies and personalities I like. I don't care if it's called communism, liberalism or socialism". ND's nemesis is named Karatzaferis, 1 June 2007 Although Popular Orthodox Rally began as a nationalist party with an Orthodox Christian religious identity, since 2002 it has steadily broken with this image. In 2002, party leader Karatzaferis, formally regarded as a nationalist, claimed to describe nationalism as a "poison", noting that he only "spoke of patriotism"."I am not far-Right", Eleftheros Typos, 27 October 2002. In 2005, Popular Orthodox Rally attempted to re-define itself by re-naming the party as simply "Popular Rally" but in the end opted to remain with "Popular Orthodox Rally" because of the stir it caused with its more conservative voters."Karatzaferis Cut 'Orthodox' From His Party", Stochos, 1 September 2005"How LA.O.S. Became LA.SY.", Eleftheros Kosmos, 16 October 2005 That same year, the party voted for the "European Parliament resolution on anti-Semitism and racism" and began making anti-racist appeals. Since then, Jewish, Muslim, immigrant, and homosexual candidates have run on the LAOS ticket alongside communists and moderate nationalists. ‘French-Greek axis’ with the same extreme views, 4 January 2006 The KKE Candidates of Karatzaferis, Stochos, 13 November 2005 More radical nationalists, such as Konstantinos Plevris, have since then left the party, with some nationalists having joined Patriotic Alliance. Along with voting for the "European Parliament resolution on homophobia in Europe" and publicly denouncing anti-homosexual sentiments, party candidates such as singer Efi Sarri have announced their dedication to homosexual rights, a move that has further alienated the nationalist faction of the party. Observers note that the Communist Party of Greece is losing votes to LAOS Time to redefine patriotism in Greece, 17 August 2007 and that, for the first time in its history, it looks to join the Greek parliament. According to Karatzaferis, 50% of his party's voting base is from the liberal-conservative New Democracy and 50% from the left (with 17% specifically communist). However, some electoral experts believe that 80% is from New Democracy and 20% from PASOK and the assorted left. ND's nemesis is named Karatzaferis, 1 June 2007 CONTROVERSY Allegations of anti-Jewish sentiment The . Jewish candidate Mihail Gkiolman ran on the party's ticket in the 2006 local elections and is currently running as candidate for the 2007 parliamentary elections The Candidates of Popular Orthodox Rally in All of Greece, 28 August 2007 . LAOS's leader continues to face common accusations of extreme-nationalism and chauvinism in Greece. The party's spokesman, Adonis Georgiades, has marketed a controversial book by nationalist author and Supreme Court lawyer Konstantinos Plevris entitled "Jews: The Whole Truth" (in Georgiades' own words, his "favorite" book) on his home shopping program on Teleasty (which is owned by the party leader). Plevris officially denies that the book is anti-Semitic and is countersuing his accusers , maintaining that "Of the 1,400 pages of my large book, the condemnation encompasses only several paragraphs, of which portions were extracted, with the result that another meaning was given to the words and truth is distorted due to the alteration of phrases". Jews Are Bringing Us to Court, 30 July 2007 Plevris, critics note, has previously shared a poltical platform with the openly neo-fascist ''Golden Dawn'' party, in the guise of his earlier ''Front Line'' party. Position on homosexuality Popular Orthodox Rally has seen criticism over its support of homosexuality both internally and from its voters. Along with voting for the "European Parliament resolution on homophobia in Europe", Karatzaferis has himself met with homosexual activists and given interviews to homosexual magazines in which he's stated that "two adults should be able to freely live together and their relationship include certain legal recognition" and that "homophobia must be fought". Press Release: The President of LA.O.S Mr. G. Karatzaferis accepted the presiding chairs of Greek homosexuals, 22 April 2005 Karatzaferis has claimed that the only internal disagreement came from the leftist Efthimios Droulias, though it is believed that such positions are partly responsible for the exodus of hardcore nationalists from the party. Another controversy erupted when singer and LAOS candidate Efi Sarri stated "I want all the young sexy girls and boys, foreigners, and homosexuals with me. Specifically for my gay friends, I will try to guarantee safeguards of their property, when one of the two dies, through the achievement of civil marriages or some contract". According to sources with Eleftheros Kosmos, the telephone centers of Tileasty and LAOS were flooded with thousands of indignant callers. Efi Sarri Divides LA.O.S., 31 August 2007 Conspiracy theories LA.O.S. parliament candidate Anestis Keramidas has been criticized for supporting the Epsilon Team / Epsilonism theory. PARTY MEMBERS
Former Members
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