Opinion
By Demetris Lottides*
The people have spoken, and true democrats are those who accept the will of the electorate without conditions. Democracy is not a “pick and choose” system...something to be respected only when the outcome is convenient and questioned when it brings disappointment.
The result of the parliamentary elections has significantly reshaped the political map of the House, while at the same time reinforcing the traditional two-bloc system. Forces that positioned themselves as challengers to the establishment and as part of a reformist Left received a clear message: they failed to inspire trust, did not present convincing solutions, and did not persuade voters with their leadership.
Newly formed parties that at one point polled as high as 15% ended up replacing DIPA and EDEK in Parliament with similar levels of representation. Moderate political projects that aimed to offer an alternative for a constrained Left and a liberal Right failed to enter Parliament altogether, and did so decisively.
Why did this happen? As in every election, it was ultimately the silent majority that decided, the ordinary working people who bear the cost in every crisis: the war in 1974, the stock market collapse in 2000, the banking haircut in 2013.
This silent majority does not shout on X or Facebook. It is not the voice that once went unnoticed in village cafés while louder voices argued. Today, it is the same group that has little time for online influencers who believe they can shape politics through noise and toxicity.
With their vote, this majority rejected the narrative that Cyprus is “the most corrupt country in the world.” They know Cyprus is one of the more open economies in Europe, where anyone can arrive, set up a business within a month, and operate without being asked for bribes or “protection.”
Yes, corruption exists, especially in parts of the public service, and it must be addressed openly. Yes, there are networks of influence involving business interests, politics, officials, and voters. But its scale is certainly smaller than in countries such as France, Italy, Germany, or Greece, where major sectors of the economy are dominated by powerful family and corporate dynasties.
In Cyprus, the political system still largely maintains the upper hand over the relationship between politics and the free economy, although some worrying trends have recently emerged.
This time, the losers should not point to “party mechanisms” as their excuse. Those mechanisms are simply people—movements, collaborations, and social networks that mobilize when there is shared purpose. Their strength depends on how much they inspire and how little their opponents do.
What has also been clearly rejected is disaster politics, blanket denigration of institutions, online bullying of journalists and media, and the idea that TikTok or performative dialect can substitute for serious governance.
Citizens do not fall in love with those who seek to dismantle the very Republic they themselves built through sacrifice.
This should serve as a lesson for anyone entering politics in the future. Voters will not trust their future to low-quality spectacle dressed up as “trendy” politics, nor will they accept character assassination disguised as activism.
At the same time, the message to the main parties—AKEL, DISY, and DIKO—is clear: cooperate for the good of the country. Do so with humility, inclusion, transparency, and stability. Provide solutions, hold the executive accountable, and strengthen the role of Parliament in modern governance.
Finally, we should not forget that a man is still fighting for his life in Athens; a political career was destroyed; a judge was accused of pedophilia; and a Supreme Court president was alleged—via a simple SMS—to have “taken bribes.”
*Demetris Lottidis is the publisher of Kathimerini Cyprus.
