Paris Demetriades
Last week, nominations were officially submitted for the parliamentary elections taking place exactly two weeks from today. It confirmed the surge in participation that had already become impossible to miss across Cyprus in recent months, where it seemed like every neighborhood suddenly had its own candidate. The General Returning Officer, Mr. Elikkos Elia, announced that this year has broken records in both candidacies and party lists. Specifically, he said that 753 candidacies and 19 electoral combinations were submitted.
That naturally raises an important question. Have these 753 people actually presented their views on the problems and challenges facing our society? Now that we are only days away from the ballot box, are they explaining their ideas in any meaningful way? Is there any constructive discussion happening around real issues? Are there moments where candidates openly disagree, even clash, over matters that actually affect people’s lives?
I am afraid the discouraging answer is no. At least not to a satisfactory degree. Of course, the sheer number of candidates makes it difficult for anyone to keep up with them all. At the same time, a fair argument could also be made that many are simply not being given enough opportunities to express themselves. By that, I am obviously referring to the work of the media.
Still, in fairness to journalists, it is impossible to ignore how awkward and distorted the public sphere has become in this dystopian era, where communication is increasingly driven by unfiltered, algorithm-powered social media platforms, with all the consequences that has for any sensible prioritization of public debate.
In any case, as a voter, not a candidate, I have no interest in hearing endless analyses about party consolidation, polling percentages, or how many points this or that political formation is expected to win. I do not care about empty slogans or recycled talking points. I do not particularly care who comes first, second, or third.
What I care about is hearing concrete positions on housing, energy, geopolitics, and of course the environment. These are the issues that shape our daily lives, our quality of life, and ultimately our future. I want to know, for example, how candidates believe economic policy should evolve. Not through vague jargon or inaccessible terminology, but in a way that helps me understand where each person stands on the basic issues of housing, food, and transportation.
I also want to hear positions on geopolitics, not for the sake of military posturing, but to understand how, as a country, we can do everything possible to avoid ever experiencing war again. We live in an international and regional environment that is deeply unstable and unpredictable, one that respected analysts around the world have already begun to describe, or at least approach, as a potential third world war.
I want to hear serious proposals on education and the private tutoring culture as well. I want to hear policies centered on equal access for everyone, policies that would finally put limits on the endless hours teenagers spend in after-school tutoring, which somehow, even in 2026, continues to consume the most creative years of their lives. I also want to be informed about the refugee issue and how it can be addressed effectively and humanely. I want to hear where candidates stand, as representatives of a half-occupied country, on the horrific war crimes committed by states such as Israel and Russia, and how those positions may ultimately affect Cyprus’ own national cause.
In short, as Andreas Hadjikyriakos aptly said on Kathimerini’s podcast The Insider, polished reels and aesthetically pleasing stories are welcome. But more than anything, what we want from candidates are real positions, specific and tangible ones.
