In the peculiar context of the dual elections of June 9, the case of Fidias Panayiotou is undoubtedly in the spotlight.
Amid the pre-election chaos, he has managed, in one way or another, to draw a portion of society’s attention towards him and to become a point of comparison with the political system.
For Fidias himself, this is an accomplishment and a testament to his talent in his profession as a YouTuber, TikToker, or however else he may choose to identify his successful online presence.
He has often stated that, at a young age, he has achieved financial success and a level of online recognition that transcends Cyprus’s borders. Fidias is a savvy professional who has unlocked the secrets to success in his field. He understands how to communicate with his audience and use marketing strategies to achieve his goals.
He began to generate buzz around his candidacy with a voter registration campaign. Even the submission of his candidacy was designed to attract media attention, with Fidias dressing as a groom and appearing alongside his priest father, delivering clever one-liners in his statements.
What are his political positions, though? What exactly will he stand for in the European Parliament, or which group will he align with? No one knows, and apparently, no one is interested. This should be the primary political criterion for voting, but it often isn’t.
Recently, Fidias Panayiotou, as an independent candidate for the European Parliament, shared the results of a survey on his social media accounts, claiming he would receive 5% of the votes. He even posted a video of his visit to a well-known polling company, where he reportedly explained the research methodology and the projected outcome.
A 5% share is not negligible; it translates to over 10,000 votes, depending on the turnout. It’s also a higher percentage than what some parliamentary parties receive in polls.
Regardless, Fidias Panayiotou has achieved a level of recognition through his online presence and various videos and interviews featuring prominent individuals. Whether this recognition will translate into votes remains to be seen. Feidias appears to be actively campaigning and leveraging his online fame.
However, the underlying question is this: Is Fidias Panayiotou, or any similar figure, the answer to a political system struggling to maintain its credibility with society?
We know Fidias, just as we would know any other famous YouTuber, TikToker, or successful individual in another field, such as football, singing, or acting. We’ve seen many such examples on party ballots. But has anything changed substantively?
This question is intended to spark political reflection, and each individual should find their answer.
Fidias Panayiotou’s case is emblematic in these elections because it confirms the symptom of apolitical behaviour exhibited by a large segment of society towards a political system that tends to act increasingly apolitical itself.
On the one hand, we have window-dressing politicians and party leaders who focus on appearances and smiles, and on the other hand, we have citizens who are discontent and disenchanted but often limit their reaction to superficial approaches, sometimes even labelling them as revolutionary…political influencer. dual elections, Fidias Panayiotou, online fame
