Cypriot YouTuber and newly elected MEP Fidias Panayiotou will not get to attend sessions of the National Council, the government said on Thursday, slamming the door shut on speculation over the matter.

Appearing on a TV channel, and asked about this, government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said that inviting Panayiotou to National Council meetings would run contrary to practice.

In effect, he gave the 24-year-old Panayiotou the thumbs-down.

It was Simerini newspaper that had got the ball rolling, pointing out that in 2014, when the Citizens Alliance party received 6.78 per cent in the European Parliament elections, they also secured a place in the National Council.

Since Panayiotou got a lot more than the Citizens Alliance, the paper asked whether he’d likewise be given a spot on the country’s premier political body.

The conjecture was picked up by other media outlets, including in Greece.

But the government spokesman explained that for someone to get a seat on the National Council, they need to represent a party.

“At this time Mr Panayiotou does not represent a party structure, which would enable him to be summoned to the National Council,” Letymbiotis offered.

In April 2024, Panayiotou announced his candidacy for the European Parliament, running on an anti-partisan platform and stating his goal to promote youth involvement in politics. He emphasised education as his priority, aiming to enhance schools by eliminating exams and promoting self-education. He also acknowledged the significance of artificial intelligence and Bitcoin.

In last Sunday’s elections, Panayiotou finished third with 19.4 per cent of the popular vote, securing a seat in the European Parliament.