AKEL moves forward in the new conditions – Aiming for a more effective opposition and proposal for power

Statements by the General Secretary of AKEL S.Stefanou:

 

19 July 2023

The effort that AKEL is undertaking for the formation of a social alliance, in cooperation with people who belong to the broader spectrum of the Left but also the centre-right, aims at AKEL becoming a powerful political force in the country with a proposal to contest power, seeking to tackle the country’s burning problems, the Party’s General Secretary Stefanos Stefanou noted yesterday, speaking to ‘Astra’ radio.

The need to forge a Social Alliance, he added, developed by the fact that people with common goals, who ideologically do not belong to the left, but want to cooperate with us, as we had cooperated during the presidential elections backing Andreas Mavroyiannis as a common independent candidate.

AKEL, St. Stefanou stressed, wants to become a more effective opposition and at the same time open up the perspective of power so that it can play a key and substantive role in solving political and social problems. Through the Social Alliance that will be forged and in conditions of cooperation and mutual respect, we shall build together with other groups and individuals a political platform where discussion and fermentation can take place on important issues that concern us all.

The Social Alliance will involve both personalities and collectives. The General Secretary of AKEL explained that if people who belong even to the centre-right agree with AKEL on certain specific issues, such as the solution of the Cyprus problem, combatting corruption and ensuring meritocracy, promoting a state governed by the rule of law, people who are against foreclosures and agree with AKEL’s proposals on housing, etc., then they can join the platform.

So far, Stefanos Stefanou added, there is nothing concrete to be announced in relation to the formation of the Social Alliance, as there is no finalisation and conclusion yet.

The changes that will be made, the General Secretary of AKEL noted, will also concern the internal functioning of the Party and relevant recommendations will be discussed in Party Base Groups too. In response to a question, S.Stefanou said that among the issues to be discussed is the way the Party’s General Secretary is elected.

The General Secretary of AKEL made it clear, however, that what AKEL won’t do is change its ideology, but a necessary political adaptation to the current new conditions, pointing out that this also stems from the Leninist principle of the dialectical analysis of developments and conditions.

No change in the AKEL emblem

Replying to a relevant question, the General Secretary of AKEL underlined that the Party’s emblem will not change, adding that the new logo presented is the logo of the social alliance and not of the Party.

Asked about Ploutis Servas and Adam Adamos Adamandos, St. Stefanou stressed that they were important members of the party and their contribution is recognized, especially in the field of local government. He also announced that after the recent event in Limassol on former AKEL elected Mayors of Limassol, an event will follow for the contribution of Adamos Adamandos in Famagusta.