NEW YORK (EJP)---The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) expressed alarm that Greece’s neo-Nazi party garnered enough votes in this week’s election to earn seats in Parliament, and urged the president of Greece to refuse to appoint any neo-Nazi party members to the cabinet.

The neo-Nazi party "Golden Dawn" won 21 seats in the 300-seat Parliament after receiving nearly 7 percent of the vote in the national elections last Sunday, a significant gain from the 0.3 percent it received in 2009. 

Golden Dawn is known for its members’ use of violence and radical anti-immigrant policies.

"Golden Dawn’s bigotry has not changed, only its popularity has, and the result is a political victory for hate," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, in a statement.

"Golden Dawn presents a malignant threat to Greek democracy and its neo-Nazi ideology must be rejected by those for whom liberal democracy is dear. We call upon President Karolos Papoulias to make it clear to the Greek political leadership that he will refuse to appoint a member of Golden Dawn as a minister or undersecretary under any circumstances."

In a letter to the President, ADL urged him to send a strong, clear message to the people of Greece that the neo-Nazi party’s ideology will not be tolerated in Greek democracy.