Introductory speech by S.Stefanou, General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL, at the press conference on the changes in AKEL
8 November 2022, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia
At the 23rd Congress of AKEL, which convened in July 2021, it was decided to make changes to the Party with the aim of ensuring a more effective and distinct intervention in society. To fulfill this goal, the Party Congress had decided that a Statutory Conference would be convened in due course.
The decisions of the Congress highlight two interrelated and mutually reinforcing axes concerning the changes:
The organisational reconstruction related to the structure, forms of work and procedures of the Party. The reconstruction aims at strengthening its capacity to respond to contemporary political and social realities and needs, as well as to the way society works, thinks and reacts, especially in recent years, which has changed drastically. These are mass phenomena that have emerged have had a huge impact on the functioning and intervention of parties, including AKEL too.
Such phenomena include the across the board denigration of parties, political engagement and institutions exercising power in general by a significant part of society. This disdain is expressed mostly by young people and is basically expressed by the high level of abstention in elections. In the last parliamentary elections about 36% of registered voters did not vote and about 15% cast a protest vote for small and newly founded parties.
A large section of society is not concerned, does not follow and, more importantly, is not interested in the substance of developments, the policies being implemented and the various proposals and opinions expressed. In such a situation, it is inevitable that substance, rationality and pragmatism based on principles are pushed aside by image, fear and populism.
Contemporary social reality demands that there be quick reflexes and effective and distinct forms of intervention. New technological data can contribute in this direction, providing additional instruments in carrying out of party activity and communication with society.
Whatever changes that will be decided must be expressed in the Party’s Statutes and Rules of Procedure. Clearly there are provisions of Statutes that are out of date and should be amended appropriately. Similarly, there is a need to formulate new structures and new forms of organization and work that will help the Party to strengthen its level of organization and intervention in society. In addition, there is room for further strengthening internal party democracy without this affecting the cohesion and effectiveness of the Party.
2.The second axis relates to the Party’s organisational and two-way political relationship with social organisations, movements and personalities with which AKEL shares the same sensitivities, objectives and political agendas on general and specific issues. Issues such as ecology, human rights, social and labour issues, the need to combat inequalities, discrimination, nationalism, racism, the extreme right, develop actions for the rapprochement with the Turkish Cypriot community and the solution of the Cyprus problem, etc. create a strong foundation om which a broad progressive alliance can be built.
This pillar objectively includes the issue of the institution of the New Forces. The New Forces have been a key pillar of AKEL’s electoral and parliamentary expression, with an undoubtedly positive historical contribution. For some years now, however, it has been clear that this particular institution has been in need of reexamination and restructuring.
Through the changes and as it closes a century of life and struggle, AKEL is called upon to redefine itself in accordance with the demands of the times and to strengthen its political identity by making use in a dialectic manner of its ideology and its long political and social experience.
The Party’s main concern is to maintain its leading role in the broader spectrum of the Left, developing the dynamics to give it the maximum possible broadness in its social base, covering the progressive spectrum as a whole. Besides, this characteristic of social breadth has enabled AKEL to play a leading role in our country’s political life over the years without being confined to its ideological audience.
In view of the above, it was decided that:
- The convening of the Statutory Congress in the autumn of 2023. This time horizon was set with two facts in mind:
– I. Ensuring enough time for fermentation and discussion of changes with members, but also with friends of the Party.
– II. The completion of procedures and decision-making in a way that ensures sufficient time for the upcoming elections in May 2024 (Local authority and European elections).
- The establishment of committees which will deal with:
– I. With changes in the Party’s Statutes and Rules of Procedure.
– II. With the reconstruction of the institution of the New Forces and the strengthening of the two-way relationship with social organisations, with movements/personalities with the aim of creating a broader progressive alliance.
III. By improving the organisational mechanism of the Party.
The committees will do preliminary work before the presidential elections, which inevitably focuses the attention and work of the party, in order to make it possible to begin the discussion immediately after the elections, within the framework of the procedures provided for in the Party Statutes. .
