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Cypriot YouTuber and MEP Fidias Panayiotou wants to disrupt his country’s political system. His digital-first Direct Democracy movement is seen by some as democratic renewal, by others as social media populism.
After his unexpected election to the European Parliament in June 2024, Cypriot YouTuber Fidias Panayiotou is now attempting to reshape Cyprus’s politics with his Direct Democracy movement.
The party’s candidates are chosen through a digital platform and campaign beyond the traditional left-right divide.
While Panayiotou’s movement is tapping into growing frustration with Cyprus’s political establishment, critics warn against politics being driven by social media populism.
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