Fidias Panayiotou was taken aback by the exit polls and the lower-than-expected projections for his newly formed party, Direct Democracy, especially compared with earlier polls that had placed it at up to 9%, and the 70,000 votes he secured in the European elections. According to reports, he withdrew briefly to his parents’ home in Meniko, where even close associates stayed away out of respect for his need for privacy. Throughout the day, Panayiotou appeared to remain hopeful, believing, as he said earlier after voting, that “young people usually come to vote in the afternoon.”
Television crews visiting his home were redirected to the courtyard of the local church, where his father, a priest, invited them inside, gave a collective blessing and directed them to the village square for the official statements. There, a celebration had been set up with loud music, although it was not organised by the candidate himself, and only a small number of party representatives were present.
Panayiotou appeared shortly after 8pm, by which time the final result was clear. A total of 21,700 voters supported Direct Democracy, giving it 5.4% and four seats. These were distributed as one seat each in Nicosia, Limassol, Famagusta and Paphos. Panayiotou was elected in Nicosia, alongside Dimitris Souglis in Limassol, Ntaiana Konstantinidou in Famagusta and Dimitris Baros in Paphos, who secured his seat by a margin of just five votes.
“No agenda”
In his remarks, the party leader expressed satisfaction with the result and thanked voters for their support. “We announced the party around six months ago and have worked hard for this moment,” he said. “We want to express our heartfelt thanks to those who contributed. Now the life of Direct Democracy begins. Until now we were in our mother’s womb. Now we must prove our worth to the Cypriot people and gradually earn their trust.”
Asked what the party promises voters, Panayiotou replied that it makes no promises, but will make “every possible effort to improve Cyprus and change it for the better.” On priorities, he said the party would first consult internally before deciding its next steps.
A surprise result
He added that voters appear open to new parties entering parliament, while expressing some surprise at the strength of the established parties. “Congratulations to the major parties. We will work with them all in parliament for the good of Cyprus,” he said.
Regarding the party’s 5.4% result, Panayiotou said the aim had been to give a full effort rather than achieve a specific percentage. “We are not dissatisfied. We are satisfied that we gave it our all,” he added.
A focus on innovation
He said the work now begins in parliament, where the party’s four MPs will aim to operate in a different way from what the public is used to. “Direct Democracy has now been born. People should expect many things that differ from the traditional parties. We will try to innovate in politics,” he said.
He concluded by stressing the need to modernise a political system that, in his view, has remained largely unchanged for decades, and pledged to pursue this effort from within the House.
