Cypriot YouTuber's viral antics land him in European Parliament
11:02 AM EDT, June 11, 2024
The elections to the European Parliament ended on June 9. One candidate who gained massive support is a Cypriot YouTuber known for his pranks. The man became a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).
Fidias Panayiotou is a 24-year-old YouTuber from Cyprus. He is known for his numerous pranks, which don't always end well. Some time ago, he had to explain one of his antics seriously. The influencer posted a video documenting his trip to Japan. He attempted to avoid paying for train tickets and breakfast at a five-star hotel. The scandal didn't prevent him from continuing to create content, and his videos achieved viral reach.
Did the YouTuber prank himself?
Fidias Panayiotou openly admits that he "professionally makes mistakes." He does not know politics. This January, he participated in elections for the first time. He also interviewed the local television station Alpha Cyprus, revealing that he had never voted before but was tired of the "nerds" ruling in Brussels. His outfit perfectly complemented his appearance—sneakers, shorts, a blazer, and three ties around his neck.
Despite his ignorance, Fidias decided to run for the EU Parliament. In April this year, he declared his candidacy. The YouTuber maintained that his goal was not to win a seat but to motivate young people to participate in politics. Ultimately, the influencer pranked himself.
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The YouTuber got into the European Parliament
About 900,000 people live in Cyprus. In the European Parliament elections, 683,000 people participated. The turnout was just below 59 percent, up from 45 percent compared to the 2019 elections. Analysts note that this is partially thanks to the YouTuber. Panayiotou finished third in the number of votes cast for him. As many as 19.4 percent of the country's residents decided to put an "x" next to his name. As a result, he became a Member of the European Parliament.
