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Fidias Panayiotou, a 24-year old online influencer, could be one of the six candidates that Cyprus sends to the European Parliament following the June election. He admits he knows nothing of politics, but says he can’t abide the continued rule of “nerds” in Brussels.
The latest poll shows him running fifth on 8.7 percent support, in place to secure a seat ahead of traditional political parties that are running six candidates each, such as the Socialist EDEK, the centrist DEPA and the Green party.
“Fidias,” as Panayiotou styles himself, has built up some 2.6 million subscribers on his YouTube channel since he began posting in 2019. He shot to fame by embarking on a mission to hug Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of the X platform (he eventually succeeded).
He also stirred controversy last year by attempting to travel across India and Japan without paying, and instead begging for cash.
Sporting three ties, a suit and shorts, Panayiotou announced his candidacy in January, confessing he had no idea about politics or the European Union but claiming to be willing to learn.
“I am 23 years old and I have never voted in my life, and I said to myself one night that if I never vote and I never take an interest, the same nerds are always going to be in power, and I said ‘enough!,’” he announced.
In April Fidias submitted his candidacy alongside his father, a priest, wearing a suit and a bow tie.
“I heard somewhere that if you are not satisfied with things around you and you want them to change, you have to be the change,” he said on the occasion. “Why did I choose to be independent? Because I can’t fit into molds. Because I want you to know that I have no party interests to serve.”
He added that his goal was not to get elected, but to motivate young people to get involved in politics.
The European election in Cyprus is expected to see high levels of voter absenteeism, indicative of the disillusionment Cypriots feel toward the political system.
The Mediterranean island’s two largest parties, the Democratic Rally and the Progressive Party of Working People, are locked in a tight race for the first place, though doubts remain as to how many supporters will show up to place their vote. Polls suggest the far-right National Popular Front could emerge far stronger, given the importance of migration as a political issue on the island.
“The Fidias case is the definition of post-politics at a time when content production is a strategic priority for the European Union itself — beyond political planning,” John Ioannou, founder of Geopolitical Cyprus, told POLITICO.
“His venture resonates with broader themes, including the resurgence of populist sentiments in Europe, the primacy of image over ideology, and the imperative of civic engagement, particularly among nascent voters in countries like Cyprus.”
