Akel and Disy were embroiled in a full day of bickering on Thursday, where they compared each other to Elam. Ahead of looming elections, the two large parties drew their swords and dragged Elam into the arguing, with digs that became increasingly personal.
Disy accused Akel of being on the same page with Elam on anti-European populism, swiping at the party over its economic policies. Akel’s secretary general Stefanos Stefanou accused Disy party leader Annita Demetriou of ignoring political history, seeking to remind her that she was voted into her House President post with Elam’s vote. The same goes for President Nikos Christodoulides and former President Nicos Anastasiades, Akel charged.
“The saddest thing is that Disy and its leadership, to this day, fail to realise that the problem with the far-right is not that it steals votes and party members, but that it is a political power outside of and against democracy. It has a misanthropic ideology,” Stefanou said. Nonetheless, Stefanou questioned how Disy would ever realise this “since every day, they look more and more alike, while at EU level, the political families of Disy and Elam are preparing to cooperate.”
Political Rivalry Intensifies
Demetriou, in her own subsequent response said “our differences with Akel have nothing to do with the elections, but with our deep beliefs in relation to the European Union, European principles and values. Disy is the political force that pioneered and paved the way for the EU. Akel was then opposed to it. It is still opposed to it today. Despite the fact that it tries to hide its anti-Europeanism, it does not succeed. Even today they accused the EU of bringing poverty.”
Nonetheless, it is Akel’s own policies that led Cyprus to poverty, Demetriou said. “We all remember it very well. They have the audacity to talk about democracy and Europe, when in anti-European populism they identify with Elam.” Stefanou hit back with a highly scathing response, accusing Demetriou of twisting Akel’s positions, but it being possibly due to “ignorance of important political history of the country.” He stressed that Cyprus’ accession to the EU was supported by all political parties.
Elam later issued its own statement, arguing that Disy and Akel are “obsessed” with Elam. “This is obvious from their public statements.” It suggested Disy and Akel have no differences, as they both “have the same ideas on the Cyprus problem, and together support the LGBTQ agenda.”
Experts previously told the Cyprus Mail that the fragmented political landscape is giving Elam a competitive edge in the lead-up to elections.
