The election of 50-year-old Nikos Chrystodoulides as the new president of Cyprus—inaugurated on 28 February 2023—offered people hope by electing a younger “independent candidate”. Citizens truly believed that finally, a long-awaited political opportunity for Cyprus had arrived: to elect “a president by the people for the people.” Citizens were anticipating that the uninhibited Politicocracy (Kommatokratia)— would have its wings clipped and that a new era was about to transform the land into a fairer society based on a social conscious democratic leadership.

That is what voters believed before going to cast their vote for the “divine miracle” that was about to materialise. They went to the polling stations full of expectations to end the plight of endemic corruption that had become an asphyxiated stranglehold around people’s necks and society at large.

It was not meant to be!

Another silver-tongued politician hoodwinked unsuspecting citizens; their votes ensured the repetition of the former president’s mindset and philosophy— albeit one difference. The ambitious new president has duped the nation to trust his abilities and liberate the island from a string of anathemas.

Appointed as Foreign Minister by President Anastasiades, he decided to run as an “independent presidential candidate” so he can gain votes from all party denominations. To everyone’s surprise, he betrayed his political party’s membership to enhance his own political career.

The well-planned strategy was a classic case of political cunning of grand proportions. In the process, his party-membership had been revoked!

But the plan demanded more spinning in the cauldrons of persuasion. He insisted that before he was ready to “officially announce” his candidacy, he resigned from the government so he can “tour the land” on the ruse of “fully understanding the needs and plight of common citizens.”

Truth cannot be ignored. As the private secretary to President Anastasiades and his official spokesman (2013-2018) and later as Foreign Minister, his fingerprints were all over the Anastasiades’ policies; yet he now disassociates himself from that government.

History will show that Nikos Chrystodoulides served under a 10-year rule of the most corrupt government Cyprus has ever seen—a government riddled with financial scandals, unbridled corruption, nepotism, cash for passports schemes, favouritism, and the most notorious act of thievery of all times: the 2013 IMF/EU/Troika Bail-in robbery, which seized people’s money from their bank accounts without authorisation under the pretext of “national interest”!

It is impossible for Chrystodoulides to distance himself from the ruinous policies of his mentor—policies that reduced people to utter poverty and drove businesses to collapse in order to save a corrupt banking system!

Ultimately he convinced voters to support him “as an independent” and was elected by a slim margin of 51.92 per cent. On 12th February 2022, he was elected in the second round as President of the Republic of Cyprus. His ambitious dream became a reality: an elected president accountable to none and wielding more power than the President of the Unites States!

He was elected on the promise of a new social conscious government and to resolve the Cyprus issue, but in reality, his election win was a political coup straight out of the textbook! Dissatisfied with the Anastasiades government’s corrupt behaviour, the electorate loaned their vote to the “wonder boy”.

Loaned their vote

Today the honeymoon is over! After three years in office, the Chrystodoulides government has led Cyprus into a maze of political ambiguities. In his pursuit of an apartheid-style Bi-Zonal, Bi-communal Federation (BBF)—advocated by the EU and the UN—Cyprus now faces a barrage of foreign influences.

Chrystodoulides foreign and domestic policies are closely aligned with EU policies. On this matter, the president displayed—beyond a thin veneer—not dynamic leadership but rather a hotchpotch of sorts that fall short of his electoral promises for a fairer society and equality.

In fact, his obsession for the undemocratic EU appears out of line, as he talks more about improving EU institutions than about addressing the needs of his own country. After three years in government, many people question whether another plan is quietly churning in the cauldrons of convenience within the EU political framework for the future.

Meanwhile, Sultan Erdogan threatens to annex the occupied part of the island as a separate state or a Turkish province. Those Turkish threats are more likely than unlikely because negotiations so far, have proven a failure to resolve and reunify the island.

Unless radical steps are taken to avert Turkey’s ambitions, demographics will play a critical whether Greek Cypriots and their Hellenic culture will survive on or not. Erdogan’s vision of Ottomanism will be felt across Cyprus unless the government adopts assertive policies to curb Turkey’s appetite but also to confront the existing nationalist mind-set of the leadership in the occupied area.

Economic sanctions or trade tariffs have proven effective in the EU and United States against “their enemies” and Cyprus needs to initiate similar measures to change the status quo. Most importantly, it needs to cast aside its failing polices and political submissiveness to EU and other powers and forge a national long-lasting defence strategy for the reunification of the island.

The Cyprus problem is clear: it is the result of a Turkey’s Military Invasion and Occupation of the island—an issue that conveniently evaporates in the political jargon in Cyprus, Greece and abroad.

New World Order

Today, under Trump’s autocratic policies, the “Rule of Law” and “International Law”—the boundaries of true democracy—are routinely ignored in favour of self-interest and absolute power. Leaders of similar mind-sets, such as Sultan Erdogan, feel reassured that the tyrannical doctrine “might is right” is returning and has become acceptable under Trumpism. After all, no nation or international body or country dared to restrain Trump’s autocratic behaviour.

Sultan Erdogan is one those autocratic leaders who will not hesitate to impose tyrannical rule to cement his theocratic vision of Neo-Ottomanism. Iran and Afghanistan stand stark examples of what theocratic tyranny produces: chaos and misery for millions—particularly for women, who are subjected to enslavement and exploitation.

The disturbing recent developments triggered by Trump’s undemocratic conduct proves that the “law of the jungle” is alive and well under a New World Order. It is enforced through the power of the gun, bullying and blackmailing tactics against allies. The Rule of Law has now been side-lined under authoritarians who thrive on praises, self-importance and the intoxication of absolute power.

Meanwhile, the Chrystodoulides government has chosen to strengthen relations with the US Administration and has failed to criticise or oppose Trump’s undemocratic behaviour—just as it failed to condemn Netanyahu’s massacre of 80,000 Palestinians in Gaza, or Venezuela’s invasion by American troops and Trump’s latest plans to annex Greenland by force if he has to.

What kind of foreign policy is that for a nation like Cyprus—under military occupation—that fails to speak out in support for freedom of sovereignty and Rule of Law? For some, silence and passiveness is bliss that soon encourages delusionary minds to wreck havoc on humanity. A New World Order indeed!

Andreas C Chrysafis was born of Greek parents in Cyprus and hosts a Cypriot, British and Canadian citizenship. He has lived most of his life in the UK, Canada and Cyprus. He’s a published author of five books and a recognized artist while his thought-provoking articles (over 450) continue to be read globally. He is not political affiliated but a strong advocate of the Rule of Law, Democracy, Transparency, Equality and Human Rights but also a robust opponent of Corruption.