Cyprus
Fidias Panayiotou, a YouTube and TikTok sensation with no prior political experience or affiliations, has taken the European Parliament by storm, securing a seat as a representative for Cyprus. With 2.6 million followers on YouTube and even more on TikTok, Panayiotou leveraged his social media fame to achieve an unexpected victory.
Panayiotou's journey to fame began with a hug given to billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and continued with a plethora of humorous videos on social media. His popularity translated into nearly one-fifth of the votes in the recent Sunday elections, placing him third behind candidates from the center-right DISY party and the communist-rooted AKEL party.
“Nuk kisha në plan të votoja, por meqë ju kam parë në TikTok, do të votoj për ju,” said a driver whom Panayiotou interviewed for his social media profiles, highlighting the significant role social media played in his election campaign.
Spain
In Spain, Alvise Perez, a 34-year-old national-populist with a strong social media presence and a harsh stance against immigrants, surprised the far-right by winning three of Spain's 61 seats in the European Parliament. Perez, founder of the party "The Party is Over" (Se Acabó La Fiesta), was largely unknown outside his online following until the elections.
Perez's victory disrupted the expected outcomes for the far-right Vox party, which still managed to secure six mandates, doubling its 2019 result. Perez celebrated his win with supporters near a banner featuring his party's unusual logo: a squirrel wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, a symbol popularized by the 2005 film "V for Vendetta."
Germany
Maximilian Krah, a leading candidate for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), was excluded from his party’s delegation due to various campaign scandals but still secured a seat in the European Parliament. Despite controversies, including allegations of espionage and connections to Russia, Krah’s party finished second in Germany with 15.9% of the votes, an improvement from 2019.
Greece
Fredi Beleri, a dual citizen of Albania and Greece currently imprisoned in Albania, won one of the seven European Parliament seats secured by Greece’s ruling conservative New Democracy party. Beleri, a member of Albania’s Greek minority, was elected mayor of Himara last year but has been incarcerated since March.
Italy
Ilaria Salis, a 40-year-old activist from Italy, was elected to the European Parliament as a candidate from the Green and Left Alliance (AVS) while under house arrest in Hungary for allegedly assaulting far-right demonstrators. Her election was supported by over 170,000 voters who wrote her name on the ballot, seeking to bring her back from her 16-month detention.
Poland
In Poland, two candidates from the opposition Law and Justice party won seats despite previous convictions for abuse of power. Former Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski and his deputy Maciej Wasik were briefly imprisoned earlier this year before being pardoned by President Andrzej Duda. Grzegorz Braun from the far-right Confederation Party also secured a seat despite controversy over extinguishing Hanukkah candles in the Polish Parliament.
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These unconventional candidates reflect a growing trend of social media influence and voter dissatisfaction with traditional politics across Europe. Their victories underscore the shifting dynamics of electoral politics and the increasing role of online platforms in shaping political landscapes.