What local and European elections? Here, we’re in a more serious pre-election campaign.
The one concerning the presidential elections of 2028! No, the column hasn’t lost its way. It didn’t have a dream last night and get influenced. Nor is it exaggerating.
Society, amidst daily concerns and the bombardment of local and international developments, isn’t focusing on events that usually aren’t given much importance. However, we dutifully follow them. And it’s glaringly obvious now.
The Presidential Palace and Pindarou Street are in an early pre-election campaign. The programmes of the President and the Speaker of the House shout out what the objectives of both are.
Christodoulides and Annita compete over who will attend more social events, who will cut more ribbons, who will shake more hands, and who will give more hugs.
The former has been giving a public relations performance for a while now. Even before being elected. After all, he maximised this talent so much that for the first time in the political history of the country, we have a President who was elected without the support of one of the two major parties.
The latter rose to the second highest state position at record speed. Having observed how successful the recipe Christodoulides followed was, she replicates it with exemplary precision.
One is the PR headmaster, the other the master of the game. When you hear them preaching the modern political spirit, think about public relations.
Because, in this game, there are two players (more will surely appear in the future), handshakes, hugs, and presence at social events aren’t enough. There are political actions too.
Actions both are chasing, primarily aiming to impress society. In this aspect, conflicts arise. Either because one steals the limelight from the other or because the other cannot be left unchallenged.
A classic example was two months ago, the infamous meeting about local governance and the problems in its implementation. Annita rushed to convene a party meeting in parliament. The Presidential Palace wouldn’t let her play alone.
It hastily convened its own meeting a day earlier. Annita was so infuriated that, according to unconfirmed reports, noises similar to those during the era of NÃkaros, when he was throwing dishes, were heard on Pindarou Street!
There was another characteristic incident. For a while, the parliament sought to abolish the annual fee of 350 euros from companies. The government’s stance was consistently negative. It argued that the revenues were accounted for in the state budget and couldn’t be removed.
However, on the day the issue was put on the parliament’s agenda to vote on various related bills, the Cabinet approved the abolition of the contribution. It sent a draft law urgently to be voted on the same day in parliament, which was done. A swift move. They wouldn’t let thousands of companies owe thanks to parties rather than the Presidential Palace.
A similar competition is unfolding over the infamous multiple pensions. When Annita perceived the explosive situation within society, she decided to step forward and support the need to abolish them.
A similar stance from the Presidential Palace. The Ministry of Finance was tasked to find a formula. For the world to see. Because Keravnos’ proposals are enraging the public. Multiple donations instead of multiple pensions.
Taking money from one pocket and putting it in another. We remind you that the said minister receives multiple pensions and a salary, while the President himself receives both a salary and a pension. With Keravnos’ proposal, in fact, in the event of a second term, the President will receive a golden handshake of €852,000!
Of course, someone might wonder about today’s reference. Whether it’s bad to have political ambition. The problem arises when a politician allows their ambitions to influence their actions from the position they serve.
In this case, both opponents in this political chess game tremble not to tarnish their profile. They avoid confrontation with establishments and interests and limit themselves only to some necessary political conflicts when their interests are at stake.
However, this cannot characterise leaders. To fear even their own shadow. When they engage in politics with public relations and showmanship as their guiding principle, the public interest inevitably suffers. Because they neglect what requires tough language, a punch on the table, and decisive actions.
A characteristic example these days is the disgraceful action of Bakogianni in the Council of Europe regarding Kosovo. Leaders pretend to care while knowing that the false statehood will follow with a similar demand. Unfortunately, we are not even halfway through 2024, and 2028 seems too distant…
