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Now that the dust has settled from the “unexpected” election results in the U.S., there are some lessons to be learned and mistakes that should not be repeated.
First and foremost, don’t bask in arrogance and never take your pollsters for granted, an argument that has been evident in recent presidential races and other elections in the rest of the world, with results often “too close too call”. Turns out, polling companies either have been making a gross miscalculation, or they have failed to find a true representative sampling.
As with the UK after the Brexit vote, there is a clear division in America that is determined more by economic grief than by ideological belief.
The same could also be said about Cyprus, where the traditional parties remain unchallenged, as even some of the newcomers are part of the old establishment. The municipal elections next month will be a great disappointment as incumbents are relying on their party machines to get voters out and get themselves re-elected, most of whom are not deserving, with very few fresh faces appearing in some towns, and many of them don’t even stand a chance.
As regards the pre-election rhetoric, what both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton promised (and were never going to deliver) are not far off from what candidates have been offering in Cyprus, Greece and Britain, with Germany and France now bracing for equally critical elections next year.
The upcoming year will also be crucial to Cyprus, as if the talks in Switzerland manage to break the deadlock in the property and territorial issues, then a new referendum is quite likely, only this time, we hope the public will be better informed, about both the pros and the cons.
But what is important is that people are getting their votes heard and are expressing their frustration about the troubles they face with hardly anyone out there listening to them. That is why radical groups are gaining ground, mostly in continental Europe, as many voters cast their vote and then go home, surrendering their rights of being active citizens.
The economy in Cyprus is still struggling, despite the sweet talk from government officials, relying on the favourable reports by rating agencies. More should be done, mainly for the small to medium sized enterprises that still have no access to funding or still face rigid public services, with little or no incentive to go on, as expansion plans are a dream, for now.
Let’s hope that voters will have their say and think reasonably. With just 30 days from the municipal elections, choose wisely.
