By Chris Panayiotou
Over the last few years, politics has changed dramatically. Serious discussions about security, economics, sovereignty, and international relations are increasingly being replaced by public exchanges, social media posts, and political theatre.
Sovereignty First: Leaders Answer to Citizens, Not Each Other
Whether one agrees with Donald Trump or Giorgia Meloni is not the issue. What matters is that leaders are elected to defend the interests of their countries, not to seek approval from one another. Strong alliances are important, but strong alliances are built on mutual respect, not on public criticism or personal popularity contests.
As Europeans, we must remember that every nation has the right to make decisions based on its own national interests. The same applies to Italy, Cyprus, the United States, and every sovereign country. Friendship between nations should never come at the expense of sovereignty.
At the same time, citizens must become more careful about what they see online. We live in an era where a screenshot can travel around the world in minutes, regardless of whether it is authentic, manipulated, or completely fabricated. Verification should always come before outrage.
From economic uncertainty to migration and trust in institutions, the real issues are being drowned out by political theatre.
The real challenges facing our societies today are economic uncertainty, security concerns, migration, technological disruption, and the growing lack of trust in institutions. These are the issues leaders should focus on.
History will not remember who won an argument on social media. It will remember who protected their country, strengthened their economy, and improved the lives of their people.
