Cypriot MEP Fidias Panayiotou has turned to social media to guide his decisions, specifically by conducting polls on X.
With the power to vote on Ursula von der Leyen’s reappointment as European Commission President, Panayiotou asked his followers whether he should support or oppose her nomination.
The poll, promoted by tech billionaire Elon Musk, attracted a large number of respondents, with around 85% voting against von der Leyen’s appointment.
Do you want me to vote for Ursula von der Leyen to remain as president of the European Comission?
— Fidias (@Fidias0) July 13, 2024
Whatever you say I will do.
Panayiotou’s brand of “social media democracy” has received both praise and criticism.
Critics argue that he should be representing the interests of Cypriots specifically, while others, including Musk, applaud his embrace of direct democracy.
The English-language poll, in particular, drew a diverse range of participants, including Americans and fans of Tesla and crypto.
Panayiotou’s rise to fame is closely tied to his admiration for Musk, and his most-watched YouTube video features him successfully seeking a hug from the tech entrepreneur.
His political campaign has been marked by a lack of a clear agenda, with the MEP himself admitting he knows little about the European Parliament. He previously used a TikTok poll to decide which political party to join ahead of the European Parliament elections, opting to be independent over joining the Greens.
It remains to be seen whether he will act on the results of his polls, including the one regarding von der Leyen’s reappointment.
His team has not provided any comments at this time.
