Interview with the member of the Political Bureau of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou – AKEL on the 2021 Parliamentary Elections
“Neolea” – “Youth”, monthly newspaper of EDON Youth
10th January 2021
“The more powerful AKEL is in Parliament, the more effective AKEL becomes”
- Political parties and Movements, are working feverishly to prepare their ballots for the parliamentary elections which will be held in May 2021. What procedures does AKEL follow for the selection of its candidates and at what stage are they at?
SS: The procedures for the formation of AKEL’s ballots are outlined in the Party Statutes and Rules of Procedure. These are very democratic procedures as they enable members and friends of the Party to nominate candidates. The party processes start from the bottom in the General Assemblies of Party Base Organisations. The nominations that are proposed are subsequently discussed at the level of the respective Party District Committees. Fallowing that, we end up in the holding of District Conferences in which the ballots are decided by secret ballot. All ballots pass through the Central Committee of the Party for discussion and their final approval.
Due to the health safety measures implemented to confront the pandemic, we have not yet proceeded with the procedures as provided. Since the situation regarding the pandemic doesn’t seem to be improving in the immediate future, we are discussing adapting the procedures foreseen so that, without annulling the democratic rights of the Party membership, we can proceed with the formation of our ballots.
- What are the basic criteria of AKEL for its candidates?
SS: On our ballots we always have candidates with an opinion, active people with interventions in the political, economic, trade union, environmental, social and cultural fields. People who, with their election to Parliament, will be able to serve with dignity and consistency goals and policies that benefit society, the public interest and our Cyprus.
It goes without saying, of course, that AKEL candidates must agree with the Party’s electoral program and have an ethos. In shaping its ballots, the age balance, the strong presence of women and young people, people who do not belong to AKEL but side with the Party (this is the institution of the New Forces), activists, etc. are seriously taken into account.
In general, the effort is for our ballot to be broad and representative, to offer the best possible choice for both the voter and the functionality of our Parliamentary Group.
- How do the procedures followed by AKEL differ from other political parties? What is the significance of these procedures for the Party?
SS: I don’t think there is a party in Cyprus that formulates its ballots with such democratic procedures as AKEL does. Nor do I consider there is another party that guarantees – in practice – the right to every member, but also to friends of the Party to participate in the procedures for the formation of the ballot. The rest of the political parties are limited to choices that essentially come “from above”, namely the leadership decides. In fact, in some parties their leader has the right to appoint candidates personally disregarding the party membership’s view, but also of the rest of the leadership.
Such practices are alien to our Party which bases its operation and action on the active participation of its members. This ensures that procedures are not “closed” and that only a small group of people decide. Through collective effort and participation, we always try to get the pulse of the people and take into account the feelings of society so we can form the best possible ballots.
- The parliamentary elections will take place after a very difficult year for the Cypriot people. The health safety measures, the pandemic’s socio-economic consequences, in combination with the government’s anti-social policies, have tired and enraged the people. How important are the upcoming parliamentary elections for the future of Cyprus? How will AKEL, with the new Parliamentary Group that will be emerge, seek to change the situation and reverse the downhill path that our country has taken?
SS: It is a fact that a large section of our people are enraged by the DISY administration of the Right. The mere fact that for the first time the regular state budget was rejected illustrates the extent of the government’s political isolation. This is not a coincidence. It is the result of the government’s anti-social and neo-liberal policies. It is the result of the big lies the government has been telling the people, as well as the government’s big scandals, which have led to a massive shift of wealth from society to a handful of privileged and powerful people of the government and ruling DISY party.
The House of Representatives is a very important step, both in exercising control over government policies and in building bastions of resistance to those policies. At the same time, Parliament – despite constitutional restrictions, as it has no right to increase budget expenditure – is a springboard for promoting pro-people policies that deepen democracy, strengthen scrutiny, control and accountability. For reforms that should strengthen social policy and make the state and institutions more in touch with society.
Therefore, given the important role that the Parliament plays, AKEL considers that it is even more important for our Party, which represents the working people and their well-intentioned interests, to come out stronger in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
The more powerful AKEL is in Parliament, the more effective AKEL becomes.
- Why is it important for the people to come out to vote? What would you say to those who are thinking of abstaining, especially young people?
SS: In representative democracy, elections are an extremely important means for strengthening the political force that represents the working people in Parliament, namely AKEL. Abstention is not an option and not only does it not provide any solutions, but it perpetuates the rotten conditions we are experiencing and, at the same time, it helps the establishment and the government ruling forces to remain in power.
In the upcoming elections, the need for everyone to participate, cast their vote and send out a strong message that we can no longer continue with the government of the Right is doubly imperative. We must convey the message that we need progressive change in Cyprus. We can build a solid foundation to fulfill this goal if AKEL emerges even stronger in the parliamentary elections.
