EDEK: Sophia’s sweeping victory – The economic challenge, the statute and the relationship with the Government – The next day
Sofia Christodoulou Makri ‘s victory in the EDEK internal party elections was a landslide, sending a clear message from the party’s ranks. In an election process marked by tensions and protests, and with the shadow of suspicion hanging over the polling stations, Sofia Christodoulou Makri managed to achieve a clear victory, with a percentage that allowed her to be elected in the first round.
The defeat of the “old” EDEK
Sofia Christodoulou Makri is the first female president of EDEK and the youngest party president, as she is only 27 years old. She entered the election campaign with the support of the party’s youth and gathered around her the large mass of dissatisfied and distanced members of EDEK for many years. Her candidacy faced several difficulties, as there was intense debate about whether she met the requirements to be a candidate. An objection had even been filed against her candidacy by a member of the party’s Political Bureau.
Her candidacy managed, at the end of the day, to gain momentum and express the desire of a large portion of the EDEK community who wanted to see change in the party.
The big bet
The big challenge that Sofia Christodoulou Makri has to manage in the leadership of the party is the finances of EDEK. Due to her failure to enter Parliament, the party lost its parliamentary presence and with it the state sponsorship it was receiving. This creates financial pressure to cover the party’s operational needs, with some information indicating that the party is experiencing a financial deficit of approximately 15 thousand euros per month.
First stop: the statute
The first major milestone for EDEK is the party’s statutory conference, scheduled for next October. Sofia Christodoulou Makri’s term runs until the electoral conference next December. The statutory conference will discuss important statutory changes, with the main issue being the change in the provision regarding the period of time during which a member must be a member in order to have the right to vote and to be able to claim a position in the leadership. Specifically, in order to vote, one must be a member for six months, while in order to claim a position in the leadership, one must be a member for five consecutive years. This specific provision will be discussed with the aim of changing it, with the intention of opening the door for deleted members or executives who have left to return.
There is, however, the view that any changes to the constitution cannot be implemented at the upcoming party congress and that doing so would be illegal, since, according to this approach, the constitution cannot be changed before the elections. This is an issue that is expected to spark new discussions and open a new cycle of controversy.
The relationship with the Christodoulides Government
President Christodoulides contacted Sofia Christodoulou Makri and congratulated her on her elevation to the leadership of EDEK. During their communication, they agreed to have a meeting in the immediate future. This is a move on his part that shows that he counts on EDEK and wishes for their cooperation to continue.
It is a fact, however, that after the latest reshuffle there is a murmur in the world of EDEK. The most important thing, however, is that the new president of the party has the support of various tendencies of EDEK. A common denominator, however, for many is the suspicion or the cautious attitude they maintain towards the Government. For different reasons, of course. Some because they believe that participation in the Government costs the party, some because they want a more left-wing turn and the search for a progressive alliance with AKEL and some who, possibly, see in potential candidates for the Presidency of the Republic a different perspective.
In any case, the big challenge for Sofia Christodoulou Makri is to manage to lead the party to the two congresses ahead of it and for her and her team to secure a renewal of their mandate in December. From this point on, the party’s major political dilemmas will be put on the table, concerning participation in the Government, the decision on the presidential elections, but also issues such as the party’s ideological identity and its position on the Cyprus issue.
Source: www.philenews.com
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