Much was made in the press about the decision of the Disy constitutional congress to strike off members of the party that are serving in the government of President Nikos Christodoulides. The decision of the party was dismissed as inconsistent by a section of the media, while one of the president’s lieutenants – the director of the presidential office – openly mocked it, by complaining that he had not been struck off the Disy registry of members like the ministers had been.

The Disy leadership had made itself a target of ridicule by taking so long to take a decision in what should have been a clear and straightforward matter. It took the Disy leadership two years to strike off the members who had openly shown total disregard for the party’s decisions in the 2023 presidential elections, not only backing the rival candidate, but also joining his government while their own party was in opposition. It was not clear why it had taken the party such a long time to do the obvious thing. Did its constitution not allow it to expel members that openly worked against the party’s interests and had sided with a rival group?

Perhaps it was the misguided way in which the new leader Annita Demetriou had decided to restore party unity after the presidential elections and to strengthen her hold on party. Even if it was the right call, it was also a sign of weak leadership, creating the impression that the party was beholden to Christodoulides, despite claiming it was in opposition. The fact Demetriou needed two years to get rid of the apostates and relied on a party congress to take the decision cannot reflect positively on her leadership.

Worse still, the day before the congress took its decision, the Disy leadership had contacted its members serving in the Christodoulides government to inform them that they would be expelled. This was revealed in a post by the director of the president’s office, Charalambos Charalambous, who, mockingly, complained because he had not been expelled by the party. Had members of the leadership called the apostates to apologise because the congress would remove them from the party? And as if this were not bad enough, Demetriou said after the congress decision that the ministers, who had been expelled, would be welcome back to the party when they left the government!

This attitude defies belief. These ministers who would be working for Christodoulides and helping his quest for a second term, at the expense of Disy’s candidate, whoever she or he would be, would be welcomed back to the party they have betrayed if they decided to return? In the 2028 elections, even more Disy members could opportunistically join the Christodoulides campaign in the hope of being rewarded with a government position if he wins. And if he loses, Demetriou would welcome the opportunists back to the party because she is a forgiving leader, who bears no grudge against members that betray her party.

Demetriou is making a grave error if she seriously believes that by showing kindness and understanding to opportunistic party members that deserve neither, she is bolstering her leadership.