Fidias Panayiotou to remain in European Parliament; Yiannis Laouris takes national seat

Fidias Panayiotou, president of the Direct Democracy party, has officially notified the Cyprus Ministry of the Interior that he will renounce his national parliamentary seat to continue his mandate in the European Parliament. This decision follows the parliamentary elections held on May 24, 2026, where the Direct Democracy party secured 5.4% of the vote and four seats in the House of Representatives. Panayiotou was elected to the Nicosia seat with 5,108 votes, but his resignation triggers the appointment of his associate, Yiannis Laouris, who was the party's next candidate in the same district. The party also successfully elected Diana Lousia Constantinidou in Famagusta, Dimitris Souglis in Limassol, and Dimitris Baros in Paphos. While Panayiotou initially expressed satisfaction with the election outcome, his victory announcement in Menoiko was marked by tensions, as members of the press staged a mass walkout in protest of his communication style and long delays. The party’s entry into the national parliament follows Panayiotou's election as an independent MEP in 2024. The party's platform centers on the use of a mobile application for direct policy decision-making by its members.