Former Edek mayor calls for leader’s resignation

Former Strovolos mayor and Edek member Savvas Iliophotou has called for the resignation of the party’s leader Marinos Sizopoulos, following the abysmal results of the three centrist parties – Edek, Diko and Dipa – at the European elections, as their combined strength was almost halved compared to the 2019 elections for MEP.

“Significant changes are needed to ensure the survival of Edek,” Iliophotou said.

“To save Cyprus, we must first save Edek,” he said in a letter addressed to Sizopoulos on Sunday, adding that the party urgently needs revitalisation, which he believes the party’s leader “is unable to provide”.

He also highlighted a long-standing decline in the party’s popularity, stressing that the issue is not personal, but rather crucial for the party’s survival.

In his letter, Iliophotou criticised Sizopoulos for not being an inclusive leader, further noting that the internal conflicts and divisions under his leadership have been detrimental to the party.

“Recent poor election results are the culmination of a decline that started long before Sizopoulos’ tenure,” the letter continued. “Despite previous efforts to reverse the downward trend, the party has not recovered and likely will not with the current leadership.

“We’ve often found solace in small victories, avoiding the real issues at hand. Every election, instead of celebrating triumphs, we talk about recovering from past defeats and avoiding complete failure,” Iliophotou said, while underlining the tendency to blame the electorate for election losses, “a tradition Sizopoulos continues”.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged Sizopoulos’ efforts to manage the party’s finances correctly, but stressed the need for a leader who can unite and embrace all members.

The letter also highlighted the emergence of new figures, specifically Andreas Apostolou, in recent elections. Iliophotou urged the party’s leadership “to use their recent failures as an opportunity for renewal by organising a conference in October to elect a new leader”.

“The new leadership,” he suggested, “should redefine the party’s policies and align it more closely with social democratic values in a way that resonates with the public.”