Revitalizing democracy: George Pamboridis launches new political platform

George Pamboridis is taking strides towards establishing a political platform, an interactive workshop for political reform, in collaboration with others. He emphasized that this platform is set to become officially operational between September and October. In an interview with the Sunday "Kathimerini" and Andreas Kimitris, Pamboridis highlighted the goal of engaging in political intervention in public affairs. The platform, he explained, will provide an opportunity for individuals who have not previously participated in politics due to various reasons and feel stifled by the limitations of the existing party system to actively engage in politics and express their political opinions. Pamboridis underlined that this initiative is open to "any thoughtful individual" who seeks to emphasize substance and embrace healthy attitudes, in contrast to the superficial and expedient solutions projected by Cyprus' "star" system.

The participation in the elections, the ideological stigma and the way it operates

Regarding the potential participation of the platform in local government elections, the 2024 European elections, and the 2026 parliamentary elections, George Pamboridis stated that involvement in elections is not the primary objective. However, he clarified that the emerging political platform will not carry any ideological label. "It will encompass all domains and encourage the expression of political views that may align with right-wing sentiments but resonate with a left-wing audience, or vice versa," he explained.

When asked how the platform would work, he replied:

If this platform chooses to address the Cyprus problem, the economy, migration, or energy, it can invite specific proposals within these areas with a defined scope over the next two months. A panel of experts will evaluate these proposals and create a shortlist of, let's say, five suggestions. Following this, a public workshop will take place where the selected individuals can further elaborate on their positions through an open roundtable discussion. The outcomes of this process will be documented by the panel and presented as proposals by the platform.

According to Pamboridis, the most significant concern that this platform would tackle is the replacement of the Constitution. He emphasized that Cypriot society is stifling and faltering, primarily due to the outdated and ineffective 1960 constitution. The prevailing institutional corruption is not coincidental but rather a result of the existing constitutional system. Pamboridis stressed the urgent need to swiftly transition to a new constitution to prevent the perpetuation of these issues and the continuous propagation of corruption.

Why a platform and not a party?

However, why did they opt to establish a platform instead of a political party? Pamboridis emphasized that he personally lacks interest in the professional engagement in politics associated with forming a party. He believes that the existing parties should be given ample opportunity to rectify their shortcomings and acknowledge their contribution to corruption and the entangled web within our nation, urging them to undergo genuine transformation. The platform aims to assist in this process, but Pamboridis intriguingly stated, "If all else fails, one should not dismiss any possibilities."

[This article was first published in Kathimerini's printed Sunday edition and translated from its Greek original]