Makis Voridis
| Makis Voridis | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Networks | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 11 November 2011 |
|
| Preceded by | Giannis Ragousis |
| Member of the Hellenic Parliament | |
| In office 16 September 2007 – 17 February 2012 |
|
| Succeeded by | Christos Kalapotharakos |
| Chairman of the Hellenic Front | |
| In office April 1994 – May 2005 |
|
| Member of the Prefectural Council of East Attica (Anatoliki Attiki) | |
| In office 01 January 2007 – 31 December 2010 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 23, 1964 Athens, Greece |
| Political party | New Democracy (since 2012) LAOS (2005-2012) Hellenic Front (1994-2005) |
| Spouse(s) | Danai Michelakos, pediatrician |
| Children | Christos M. Voridis |
| Residence | Athens, Greece |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Religion | Greek Orthodox |
| Website | http://www.voridis.gr |
Makis (Mavroudis) Voridis (Greek: Μάκης Μαυρουδής Βορίδης) (born 1964) is a Greek lawyer, politician and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Networks. He is also the former leader of the Hellenic Front party.
Voridis graduated from Athens College and acquired his degree from the Law School of the University of Athens. He also acquired a Master of Laws with merit from University College London. Voridis specialized in international commercial law, penal law, and the philosophy of law. During his time there, he was a member of the fascist student group "Student Alternative".[1]
According to a former fellow student at Athens College, writing in Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Voridis formed the fascist student group “Free Students” that painted the walls with swastikas and saluted each other using the Nazi-era greeting "Heil Hitler." It was further alleged that during school elections, Voridis would violently threaten the Jewish students who opposed his fascist group, as well as their families.[2]
During his compulsory military service from 1992 to 1993, Voridis graduated class leader (92 A' ESSO) in Artillery School and he served as an Artillery Cadet Reserve Officer, gaining the rank of second lieutenant.
In 1994, he founded the right-wing political party Hellenic Front and became its first president. He unsuccessfully ran for the position of Athens mayor in 1998 and 2002. The Hellenic Front under the chairmanship of Voridis performed lamentably in the 2004 general election and managed to gather only 7000 (0,1%) votes. As a result of this, the Hellenic Front ceased its political activity in 2005 and was subsequently merged with the more successful Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) party. Voridis became a member of the political council of LAOS.
Voridis has a law office in Athens and competed for a council seat in the 2006 local elections on the LAOS ticket in East Attica, eventually securing 5% of the vote and getting elected prefectural councillor.
On September 16, 2007, Makis Voridis was elected Member of the Greek Parliament with LAOS, calling up 8,663 votes in the Attica district, with a potential difference of 5174 votes from the second candidate, Tania Iakovidou, a TV Star.
In November 2011, Voridis was appointed Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Networks in the coalition government headed by Lucas Papademos.[3] In February 2012, he was expelled from LAOS for supporting the latest austerity package but retained his portfolio after consultations with the prime minister.[4][5] A few days later, he joined New Democracy and surrendered his parliamentary seat to LAOS.[6][7] As Minister, Voridis was supposed to open up professions like taxi drivers, a measure he has previously opposed on multiple occasions.[8]
In an interview with The Guardian, Voridis denied allegations of crypto-fascism, antisemitism and homophobia, describing himself as a national liberal with a "rightwing student activist" background. The article's author describes him as a former "axe-wielding fascist" who "does not deny he is a reconstructed fascist". His presence in government has been met with alarm by Jewish and leftist groups.[3][2]
[edit] References
- ^ "Mark Ames: Austerity & Fascism In Greece – The Real 1% Doctrine « naked capitalism". Nakedcapitalism.com. 2011-10-31. http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/11/mark-ames-austerity-fascism-in-greece-%E2%80%93-the-real-1-doctrine.html. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
- ^ a b Sabby Mionis (2012-03-06). "Israel must fight to keep neo-Nazis out of Greece's government". Haaretz. http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/israel-must-fight-to-keep-neo-nazis-out-of-greece-s-government-1.416802. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- ^ a b Helena Smith (2011-12-16). "Rise of the Greek far right raises fears of further turmoil". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/16/rise-greek-far-right-turmoil. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
- ^ "«Ναι» στο Μνημόνιο από 199 βουλευτές και «όχι» από 74" (in Greek). To Vima (Athens). 13 February 2012. http://www.tovima.gr/politics/article/?aid=443281. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ "Χωρίς ανασχηματισμό η κυβέρνηση - Παραμένει ο Βορίδης" (in Greek). To Vima (Athens). 14 February 2012. http://www.tovima.gr/politics/article/?aid=443589. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ "Προσχώρησαν στη Ν.Δ. οι Μ. Βορίδης και Αδ. Γεωργιάδης" (in Greek). To Vima (Athens). 17 February 2012. http://www.tovima.gr/politics/article/?aid=444113. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ "Παρέδωσαν τις έδρες τους στο ΛΑΟΣ Μ. Βορίδης και Αδ. Γεωργιάδης" (in Greek). To Vima (Athens). 17 February 2012. http://www.tovima.gr/politics/article/?aid=444209. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ "Greece's government: Divided they stand". The Economist. 2011-11-16. http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2011/11/greeces-government. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
[edit] External links
- Voridis.gr, His official website (in Greek).
- Hellenic Lines, newspaper of the Hellenic Front party (in Greek).
- Hellenic Parliament, (in Greek).
- Kathimerini daily newspaper, an article about Makis Voridis and the parliamentary group of the Popular Orthodox Rally, (in English).
- An older article by The Guardian, about the extreme right in Europe. Makis Voridis is mentioned.
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