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Lifting the deadwood from the highly forgettable Euro Election results it appears that what we are left with is a country where democracy is a nuisance and women are viewed as second class political citizens.
I know going over the election results is more tedious than the travel plans of those Chelsea and Arsenal supporters who became part of UEFA’s experiment to send Londoner’s halfway across the world to watch the Europa League final in Baku.
Yes, apparently, Baku is in Europe, although some fans thought they were in the Middle East – Londoners have a sense of history, but geography is not their strong point.
At least the Baku final was saved by the magic of Hazard while the EP elections in Cyprus were a rather stale and apathetic affair by contrast.
You only need to look at the motley crew of our six triumphant MEPs to feel rather uncomfortable about the whole tiresome business of politics.
What is strikingly obvious is that they are all male of a similar age and social background that doesn’t exactly scream radical reformers.
True, Cyprus can feel proud of itself for voting in a Turkish Cypriot MEP for the first time and proving that apartheid politics isn’t necessarily the answer to reunification.
But what is beyond comprehension is that Cyprus is the only member of the 28-member bloc that failed to send a woman MEP to the European Parliament.
This also means that women do not vote for other women, while it can also be argued that the parties didn’t go out of their way to ensure a selection process that promoted women candidates on the ballot paper.
There was a total absence of diversified choice among the parties with most of those on show lacking any signs of intelligent life matched by a charisma that would make a circuit board seem like a map of treasure island.
Although communist AKEL took the brave step of putting a Turkish Cypriot on its ticket, the party that champions equal rights could only find room for one woman, while ruling party DISY had a ground-breaking two out of six.
Another supposed campaigner for social justice and equality – socialists EDEK – also had only two out of six women among its candidates.
Moreover, less than a third of the 70-plus candidates were women, reflecting the lack of female faces in parliament and the cabinet.
Despite this embarrassing fact, there was no genuine apology from the political parties neither was public opinion exactly outraged.
Granted, there is no reason why women would want to become politicians among a tedious array of male stereotypes versed in the dark art of stabbing their enemies in the back while buying them lunch.
Maybe the political system itself has to change to encourage not only more women to enter the arena but also those of different background and education.
Why should the younger generation go out and vote, where is the incentive to do so – when they see a corrupt political class system immersed in privilege, nepotism and patronage.
They know that getting a well-paid government job has nothing to do with ability, qualifications or talent.
Where were the burning issues during this election, such climate change, affordable housing, employment, digital economy and education?
While everywhere in Europe, Green parties gained a foothold, in Cyprus it sank without a trace like Tufted Puffin population in Canada.
A Green party should stand on a platform of protecting or saving the environment, not seek to score points on the Cyprus problem.
Agreed, Cypriots feel a disconnection with Europe which is why the turnout was low and extremists Elam got votes but not a seat.
The younger generation is less likely to vote in an election of any kind while the average age of those who do vote is getting higher.
Local media also has a role to perform, but it tends to play safe by backing the establishment, pandering to our leaders while keeping women and anyone younger than an ancient ruin off the TV.
Most panel discussions and political debates are male dominated while shows that involve young audiences asking our politicians’ awkward questions are non-existent.
We understand that as a society we are going to be lied to and manipulated by our political leaders – that’s the name of the game but at least we should try and change the conversation.
If politics does not adapt and survive in this country, then democracy will die a slow and painful death as apathy takes hold, allowing a vacuum for extremism and extremists to flourish.
Democracy doesn’t die in darkness but under the bright lights of indifference.
