Cypriot MEP says party leadership in Brussels could boost influence on foreign policy, writes KNews.
Cypriot YouTuber-turned-lawmaker Fidias Panayiotou says he is close to leading a new political group in the European Parliament, a move he argues would give him greater influence on issues affecting Cyprus.
“We are very close to forming a party in the European Parliament, and I will be its leader,” Panayiotou said in a recent video post.
The 25-year-old, elected as an independent, said he has struggled to shape decisions from the sidelines. He argued that a party role would allow him to steer foreign policy positions tied to Cyprus.
He also raised the possibility of focusing on politics back home, saying the country “is not doing well” and that he wants “to keep shaking the system” because “it needs radical change.” Panayiotou added that he had never voted before his own election because no party or lawmaker convinced him.
He described frustration with Cyprus’s political culture, saying meetings with ministers and the president often go nowhere because he has “nothing to give them back.” He called that “how politics works: give and take.”
Panayiotou said pressure through social media and traditional media remains powerful. He pointed to advice from Paphos Mayor Phaedon Phaedonos, who told him that being in a party or holding a title does not guarantee influence, but raising issues publicly can force results.