Edek's participation in the governing coalition does not bind the party's decisions on the 2028 presidential elections, its new leader, Sofia Christodoulou Makri, told Politis. Asked whether she will run again for the leadership at the party's electoral congress in December, she said that "Edek's people want us to turn the page and are asking for new faces on the front line," adding pointedly that "I cannot be absent from this fight." Christodoulou Makri, who was elected party leader in September after Edek failed to win a seat in May's parliamentary elections, also spoke of the need to streamline the party's structures and reduce its paid staff following the loss of state funding. She responded to those who equate Edek with the far-right Elam and outlined some of the changes to be put forward at the party's statutory congress on 25 October, which will amend its charter.
We are heading towards the presidential elections and attention is focusing on the parties' intentions. Will Edek continue to stand alongside Nikos Christodoulides?
The party's decision to support Nikos Christodoulides in the 2023 presidential elections was taken collectively. As the party's new leader, I fully respect that decision. The fact that we are a party in the governing coalition does not mean that Edek is bound for the next five-year term as well. The decision on the 2028 presidential elections will be taken by the new collective bodies that emerge from the electoral congress in December. Today, our priority is to bring Edek back to the forefront, worthy of its history and its struggles, and of the precious legacy of our founder, Vassos Lyssarides.
Congresses
Edek's statutory congress will be held on 25 October. What major changes are expected?
There will be an effort to modernise certain provisions of the charter. The process has already begun, and dialogue is taking place at local and district conferences. Any member who wishes can table amendments, which will be put to a vote at the statutory congress. As party leader, I have identified some problematic provisions in the charter. For example, there is a provision for the automatic loss of membership in certain cases, without any collective body examining the circumstances, which undermines members' right to free expression. Such provisions have no place in a democratic party. I also see a problem with the concentration of power in unelected individuals. Elected officials should be given a greater political role. For example, the role of the deputy leader and the two vice-presidents should be strengthened, particularly within our collective bodies, the Political Bureau and the Central Committee. The party should work more democratically, more collectively and more effectively.
Has the date of the electoral congress been fixed?
The electoral congress has not been officially called, because the statutory congress must take place first. The December elections will be held under the provisions of the new charter, so there will be an announcement after the statutory congress.
Will you run again for the party leadership in December?
Edek's people want us to turn the page and are asking for new faces on the front line. This was shown by the result of May's parliamentary elections and of September's internal party elections. We are listening to Edek's people and we will honour this strong mandate. I therefore cannot be absent from this fight. The people placed me in the position of Edek's leader. I ran for the leadership in September with a long-term plan, which has begun to be implemented but cannot be delivered within three months. Some steps were taken immediately, but much remains to be done.
Financial plan
You recently announced the launch of a nationwide fundraising campaign for Edek. What state are the party's finances in?
A party that has failed to enter Parliament faces not only political but also financial difficulties. The loss of state funding, which exceeded half a million euros a year, is creating serious deficits in the budget of a party that maintains district offices and a party machine. This is the first time we have been left out of Parliament, and the state funding we lost covered a large part of Edek's expenses. A nationwide contributions campaign has therefore begun, which also follows requests from many Edek members. The decision was taken a month after my election as party leader, because I first wanted to study the financial situation. We concluded that for a strong Edek to continue to exist, we must make sure it is financially sound, so we are calling on the party's members and friends to contribute.
We know that the financial plan to streamline the party's structures has begun to be implemented. Will you be cutting staff?
A party that remains outside Parliament has to take difficult decisions. One of these is reducing its paid staff, always with the smooth running of the party as the main criterion. I should note that a financial report on what we inherited and where we stand today will be presented at the party's statutory congress.
The middle ground
Last week, Diko leader Nikolas Papadopoulos said his party would begin cooperating with Dipa on producing policy proposals. He also said dialogue with Edek would continue.
There was an early discussion on the matter at my meeting with the Diko leader in September. As Edek, we are ready to discuss certain positions and policies for the good of the country on which there is common ground, but our party will never stop being independent and shaping its positions on the basis of its ideology, always bearing in mind Edek's historic role.
The Cyprus problem
There has been a change in the tone and wording of Edek's statements on the Cyprus problem. A neutral observer would say its positions are more constructive. Some hardliners, however, are reacting on social media.
Edek's positions on the Cyprus problem do not change because of the election of any party official. We seek to be useful without departing from the party's positions. Edek will continue to express a clear patriotic voice, because we may need to give direction on the Cyprus problem again, as we have done several times in the past.
We often read comments and articles arguing that Edek does not differ much from Elam. Yet Edek is a socialist party...
Edek is a people-centred party that embraces democratic principles and values. We have absolutely no relation to Elam, which, let us not forget, appeared on the country's political scene as an offshoot of Golden Dawn [the Greek neo-Nazi party]. Above all, Edek's historic role can in no way be compared with Elam's. Edek was the party of resistance and the party that fought so that democracy exists in our homeland today. Edek will also never accept social inequality and the economic gap between people.
But you hold the same positions on the Cyprus problem.
Edek disagrees with bizonality and supports the application of the fundamental European freedoms, namely freedom of movement, settlement, work and property ownership.
Cost of living
You welcomed the government's measures on the cost of living but stressed that they are not enough. What other measures does Edek propose?
As Edek, we said that the government's measures are heading in the right direction but that more is needed. We stressed that significant social groups remain without any support, such as low-paid workers and pensioners who marginally exceed the income criteria. Through our contacts with local communities, we have identified other anomalies in the criteria. For example, the heating oil allowance is given to mountain communities at an altitude of 600 metres or higher. However, there are neighbouring mountain communities facing similar climatic conditions that are treated differently because their altitude is marginally different. We are therefore raising the issue of broadening the support criteria so that all these anomalies are eliminated.
