While Maria Karystianou may not wish to clarify which political audience she addresses, claiming her positions and views concern all citizens from right to left “because everyone has the same problems,” her recent appearances clearly define the space she will operate in. Specifically, which voters she targets to secure a position in Parliament.
Initially, she addresses all citizens who are somehow dissatisfied with politicians and the justice system and who find themselves on the verge of anti-establishment sentiment. Maria Karystianou, contrary to what is customary, “appears to take on even responsibilities that don’t belong to her in order to convince her audience that she will do things differently,” as political analysts point out. She “lumps together” government and opposition so that the disappointed voter “won’t seek hope anywhere else.”
Karystianou: The “lumping together” of government and opposition and the “corrupt political system”
She speaks of “the corrupt political system that will never provide solutions, because that would mean its dissolution.” She argues that the government created an outcry against her, noting that “the opposition finds all this convenient,” while maintaining that “the executive power fully controls the judiciary as well.” At the same time, she presents herself as a modern “Robin Hood” – the person who defends the rights of the weak – declaring that she decided to fight this battle so “I won’t have guilt that I didn’t confront the rotten system.” She even goes so far as to take personal responsibility, saying “I’m to blame, because I allowed politicians to devalue our lives” and that “with my tolerance I allowed our country to become the most corrupt in Europe.”
Karystianou’s message to religious citizens and the photo session
The second “reservoir” of citizens she addresses appears to be religious citizens. Speaking on Cyprus’s Down Town, she was photographed among dozens of icons of the Virgin Mary and Christ, as well as Archangel Michael, sending a very clear message to a segment of society. The response given by her close collaborator, former relatives’ association president Maria Gratsia, on this matter – that “the choice of backdrop wasn’t targeted and that she’s interested in what the person says rather than where they sit and whether they’re near icons” – isn’t very convincing. This is because throughout the recent period, since Maria Karystianou decided to publicize her intentions for the new party, discussion has revolved around the nun she talks to every morning, the monastery she visits to find peace, and her relationship with Archangel Michael.
“I have a special relationship with the Archangel over the past two years. I hope he helps us fulfill our dreams,” declared the former president of the Tempi Victims’ Relatives Association last May, from the Monastery of Pammegistown Taxiarchon in Mandamados, Lesbos. Most impressive, however, is that she didn’t hesitate to identify with the most reactionary part of society. The part that sees dark schemes behind digital identity and personal identification numbers.
On December 13, at an event in Thessaloniki by the “Exodus” movement, she delivered a greeting and positioned herself “against Digital Totalitarianism,” meaning against digital identity and personal identification numbers. “I will always stand against every form of illegitimate obligation imposed in an authoritarian and absolute manner. We are not numbers. We are free citizens,” she characteristically stated. She also addresses a segment of the far-right which, after Golden Dawn’s dissolution, found itself in Victory and other smaller parties. Among them is former Supreme Court vice-president and former Victory MP Giorgos Apostolakis, who has been written about in the press as being ready to lead Golden Dawn when Ilias Kasidiaris was banned from running, but ultimately proceeded with his own movement.
It should be noted that speaking to PARAPOLITIKA, he characterized as “fantasies” what is written about him. However, he himself, when writing articles recently, had mentioned that “there are still role models, like that of ‘Mother’ Karystianou, who rally, inspire and lead.”
Also close to the former president of the Tempi relatives’ association appear to be many former Victory officials like Victory’s candidate MEP Dimitris Chiotakakos, who had been distanced from the party as he sought leadership, and candidate MP Fotis Pallas, who has left along with 45 other officials, denouncing Mr. Natsios for having transformed into a system supporter.
