The messiah from Argaka who will save Cyprus

By Chris Michael

There are politicians who, even when the ballot box sends them a resounding message, continue to ignore the writing on the wall. And then there are politicians who believe that voters’ memory is so short that they can return to the political stage at any time, assuming the role of saviour.

Averof Neophytou appears to have chosen the latter path.

The politician from Argaka has once again stepped into the spotlight with the confidence of a man who believes that Cyprus is searching for someone to “save” it — and that he is that person.

The problem, however, is that Cyprus does not suffer from political amnesia.

Averof Neophytou has never been a mere observer of political developments. For years, he was at the heart of political power, as a leading figure of the Democratic Rally (DISY) and, for a long period, its president.

In 2023, he ran for the Presidency of the Republic, presenting his candidacy as a proposal for “competent leadership”, economic stability and a return to dialogue on the Cyprus problem.

It is therefore difficult today for him to present himself as the man who has only just discovered the country’s problems.

The political criticism directed at Mr Neophytou is not about his right to have ambitions. Every politician has the right to seek a role and to make a comeback.

The question is a different one: what exactly does he bring to the table today that he did not have the last time? What new proposal is he putting forward? What different plan is he presenting? And, above all, why should voters believe that his political formula will produce a different result?

In 2023, he entered the presidential race declaring that he was running “to win” and that his goal was to continue stability and security. The ballot box, however, decided otherwise.

Neophytou failed to make it to the second round, and the result he recorded remains an undeniable political fact.

**Return to familiar rhetoric **

And yet, rather than that failed attempt leading to deeper political reflection, we are now witnessing a return to familiar political rhetoric. Neophytou is once again appearing as a critic, commentator and potential alternative solution to the problems facing the country.

This is precisely where the political contradiction lies.

One cannot insist on claiming the role of national saviour while avoiding the difficult discussion about one’s own political record. Nor can one ask for society’s trust once again without convincingly explaining why one’s previous political choices should now be assessed differently.

And catchy statements are certainly not enough. Nor are grand words. Nor is the political self-confidence that so often accompanies his public interventions.

Politics is not personal property, nor is it a contest in political survival. It is about accountability.

Averof Neophytou has every right to aspire to a political comeback. What he cannot demand is that his political past be erased from the collective memory.

More importantly, he cannot take for granted that the same society that, in 2023, did not give him a place in the second round will simply forget the result and hand him another blank cheque.

The biggest problem, therefore, is not that Averof aspires to return. It is that ambition, by itself, does not constitute a political proposal.

Cyprus does not need Messiahs. It needs politicians who can demonstrate, through their record and a concrete plan, why they deserve the trust of society once again.

And that, for Averof Neophytou, is the real challenge.

It is not about convincing people that he wants the presidential chair. We already know that.

The difficult part is convincing them why he should seek it again.

Chris Michael is a political commentator and business consultant

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