The stakes of the European elections are high and there are many bets to be won by the parties. The result of the ballot on 9 June will decide a lot for the course of each organized political force and the formation of the political scene.
The battle for the lead between DISY and AKEL is not just a battle of impressions, but also a battle of substance, primarily for Pindarou (DISY) and secondarily for Ezekia Papaioannou (AKEL). Any loss of the lead, which will be accompanied by a loss of electoral quotas, will put the new leadership of the Democratic Rally under suffocating pressure.
On the other hand, if AKEL does not manage to capitalize on the favorable environment for it, with the public’s dissatisfaction with the government, the internal party problems of DISY, and the effort made by the new leadership of the party to broaden the party’s base and extroversion towards society, it will have problems.
Beyond that, the result of the ballot means a lot for DIKO and its chairman Nicolas Papadopoulos, who has a personal stake in winning by restraining the party’s numbers and maintaining his role as the party’s regulator.
ELAM remains an unpredictable factor as to where it can go.
Winning one seat in the European Parliament is almost taken for granted for the far-right party, which is now gearing up for big things.
EDEK and DIPA are fighting their own battle for the 5th place and at the same time they are hoping for any loss of seats by the two big ones that will pave the way for their presence in the European Parliament.
The Ecologists are seeking a decent presence in the elections and a result that will indicate recovery and a new era for the party.
The presence of Volt, the new political party running for the first time, is another feature of this election, without anyone being able to predict the extent to which it will influence the final result. As a party, it follows a certain rhetoric that appeals more to a more left-wing progressive audience.
Also notable about this year’s European elections is the fact that for the first time, three Turkish Cypriots are standing as candidates, with three different Greek Cypriot political parties. Niyazi Kızılyurek with AKEL, Oz Karahan with the Ecologists, and Hulusi Kilim with Volt. This element may or may not determine the number of Turkish Cypriots turning out at the polls on 9 June.
