AKEL party policies and foreign policy statements by Stephanos Stephanou

During a recent interview on the Omega TV program 'Aichmes', General Secretary of AKEL, Stephanos Stephanou, addressed the party's internal rules regarding electoral campaigns. He explained that AKEL maintains a policy of collective campaigning, which prohibits candidates from using personal advertising boards to prevent financial inequality and competition among party members. Critics argue that this policy is inconsistently applied, with reports of candidates conducting individual outreach. Separately, in a different interview with 'Reporter', Stephanou addressed the Cyprus government's foreign policy. He criticized the administration for a lack of consistency regarding international law, noting that while the government condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it has remained largely silent on the actions of Israel in Gaza. Stephanou emphasized that a state that is itself a victim of occupation must consistently uphold international law across all conflicts. While AKEL officially condemned the invasion of Ukraine, commentators and critics have questioned the depth and frequency of this stance in comparison to other geopolitical issues.