Our View: Is it time to take a break from the nonstop PR?

Now that President Nikos Christodoulides has completed his first 100 days, perhaps he should take a day off.

Since being sworn-in, there has not been a day when he did not attend both significant and insignificant events as if he was still campaigning, while commenting on almost everything in endless statements from the presidential palace.

It’s a wonder the government spokespeople have anything to do. Perhaps because the new president was once the government spokesman himself, he has not yet learned how to delegate. It’s as if he is reprising his former role but this time on steroids.

His predecessor Nicos Anastasiades also had a penchant for endless statements, especially when he was criticised. He would even respond in writing to the inevitable responses to his first response to whatever the original criticism was.

Christodoulides though is one of a new breed of politician who, unlike his former boss, does not throw ashtrays, scowl a lot or tell the press ‘Devil take you’ when asked an awkward question. Nor does he issue responses to criticism that are dripping with heavy sarcasm.

That’s because Christodoulides has ‘antibodies to criticism’, he told journalists at his news conference. In response to a question from Phileleftheros as to whether he feels wronged by criticisms levelled at him, he said: “Criticism doesn’t bother me at all because previously I was a government spokesperson and I lived with this criticism and by extension during the election campaign. I have developed these kinds of ‘antibodies’, which help me deal with that kind of criticism…”

Indeed, the new president has come in for some criticism since he was elected. Polls to mark his 100 days were disappointing, his choices for government also came under fire along with the gender composition of the cabinet. There were also some questionable decisions in other appointments, which to be fair he quickly rescinded after they were exposed.

Whether this was a case of accepting the criticisms and acting in good faith, or a means to quickly remove them from the headlines, we cannot say.

These were not hanging offences and a new government need to find its feet and will make mistakes. But the appointments did signify a lack of judgement given Christodoulides’ pre-election pledges to be in tune with the people, and because it is not his first time in government and so should know what is and what is not ‘a good look’.

That is not to say that in a short time, his government has achieved nothing at all but ultimately, he will be judged on what happens over the next 1,725 days.

Very few people in the world are immune to criticism. It is a big claim to make unless you are Jesus Christ or Gandhi, but it makes for a great soundbite.

Now that the 100 days of PR are over, we hope these ‘antibodies’ will not prevent him taking on board at least some valid criticisms during the rest of his term.