The alliances that are slow to take shape, the figures at the table, and what another defeat means for the party
Stefanos Stefanou’s revelation to Emilia Kenevezou on the “Bras de fer” show on “alpha” that he has a specific candidate in mind was enough to raise a series of questions about the intentions and thoughts of the AKEL secretary-general. For example, quite a few people wondered: If Stefanos Stefanou does indeed have a specific person in mind, will he this time ensure that the candidate is properly put forward to the party’s collective bodies, or—in the spirit of democracy that characterizes him—will this candidacy also determine the future of Achilleas Dimitriadis? And we’re talking about Achilleas Dimitriadis because, as is well known, while in 2022 theof AKEL endorsed that candidacy over that of Andreas Mavroyiannis, he managed to secure a minority vote in the party’s Political Bureau. A situation that came as a surprise to those familiar with the party, its inner workings, and raised questions about whether Stefanos Stefanou is in control of the situation within the party and whether he can push through his own agenda. However, there were also those who viewed his response as a bluff directed at the reporter. This is because if he had answered in the negative, the major criticism that would have followed would be that while his main opponents are either working behind the scenes or openly campaigning, Ezekia Papaioannou is preoccupied with other matters. She risks losing yet another important moment of momentum for the party. This is a situation where the Right is, for the first time, so fragmented, and AKEL, after many years, is showing potential for possible alliances.
Stefanos Stefanou has made it a priority to field a candidate who can garner support from other political forces. Whether these forces have strong electoral momentum behind them or carry a label with its own symbolic significance. These include VOLT, perhaps the Greens or EDEK, and most notably ALMA. Some contacts have been made with the latter two parties, while the discussion between officials from both sides regarding ALMA concluded that a candidate must be found who represents neither one camp nor other. The goal is to find someone who can manage economic affairs, thereby dispelling any voter reservations about whether AKEL can handle the economy. This is precisely where the name of economist Tassos Yiasemidis comes into play—he was proposed by individuals close to Sofia Christodoulou Makri— and all three political forces currently view him in a relatively positive light. Other names have also been mentioned, such as that of economist Stelios Platis—who was put forward by Giorgos Loukaidis five years ago—though it is not yet known whether he has support in the other camps. There is also consideration of criminal defense attorney Ilias Stefanou, who handled the investigation into the black van—an issue that, for the time being, is not considered a “red line,” as is reportedly the case with ALMA. According to reports, Odysseas Michaelides also appears to have a specific person in mind, whom Ezekia Papaioannou is awaiting with interest. What is theoretically causing the delay in extensive discussions is that any further consultations will take place after the parties have completed their internal processes. ALMA will hold its electoral convention early next year, while EDEK will hold its own electoral convention in December. It is no coincidence that the left-wing party has set March as the start date for its election campaign.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The kids are playing on all the fields
5+ 1 Key takeaways from the poll
The problem for AKEL begins if talks with these parties end in failure. ALMA, for example, will have to address calls for an independent run. The most telling example is that of Eirini Charalambidou, who is not in favor of an alliance with AKEL, and has told party officials with some irritation that AKEL takes them for granted, while she insists on running independently with Odysseas Michaelides. Some believe that, deep down, she herself would like to support Averof Neophytou—if he ultimately turns out to be the party’s chosen candidate. She, of course, limits herself to saying that she believes he can govern; they had a good relationship in the past, but she has never publicly put forward such a theory. At ALMA, such a scenario is, of course, considered out of the question, while Odysseas Michaelides views his own candidacy as a last resort. The percentage he received in the recent poll conducted on behalf of “alpha” by RAI Consultants reinforces this trend within the party, and such a candidacy would certainly not benefit AKEL. EDEK also finds itself in this same climate of uncertainty. Given that Ms. Makri is a transitional president, it cannot be ruled out that the new situation within the party may favor a different alliance or a continuation of the partnership with Nicos Christodoulides. The collapse of alliances with both parties is forcing AKEL to adapt to a new reality and rethink its strategy.
In such a situation, there is the very remote possibility of Stefanos Stefanou running or some tried-and-true strategy being employed. The case of Andreas Mavrogiannis, for example, might be a strong contender if he hadn’t been excluded by ALMA. Now, AKEL views Mr. Mavrogiannis, who is putting his name forward and leaving open the possibility of running without the party’s support if his momentum continues. Apparently, the two sides interpret the poll results differently, judging by their statements. The strong showing Mr. Mavrogiannis received in the latest “alpha” poll —he came in second in all scenarios and was the winner alongside the DISY candidate—was viewed by Mr. Mavrogiannis himself as a personal success. AKEL interprets the percentage as reflecting support for the center-left option more broadly, rather than for a specific candidate. Both interpretations may certainly hold true to a certain extent. What is certain, however, is that as long as it remains unclear who the party’s candidate will be, uncertainty will only grow. It is by no means a coincidence that between the first and second rounds of the poll, Mr. Mavrogiannis’s support dropped (from 44% to 41%).
Consequently, if AKEL once again ends up running alone without any alliances, it risks having to start the process all over again; and if it ultimately settles on Andreas Mavrogiannis, it will also have to explain why he was not its first choice.
The Big Picture
At Ezekia Papaioannou, they believe that both the President and DISY have entered a premature election campaign, and in this very context, the party has no reason to follow them. However, no matter how premature the election campaign may be due to developments within DISY, this inevitably affects AKEL as well. The left-wing party cannot afford to appear flustered by convoluted procedures and delays that lead to the loss of candidates and make it difficult to regain momentum. The most serious issue for the party is the realization that it is missing yet another—favorable for itself—opportunity to return to power. If this opportunity is also lost, then the Leftist party will no longer speak as a party in power and will have new internal issues to address.
