President Nikos Christodoulides’ popularity has dipped so low that it currently fares worse than that of Demetris Christofias in the aftermath of the 2011 Mari naval disaster, a new survey has found.
The online poll, commissioned and published by Phileleftheros newspaper, was carried out right after last week’s verdict by the supreme court dismissing Auditor-General Odysseas Michaelides on the grounds of ‘conduct unbecoming’.
And, the survey’s findings suggested the president’s ultra-low ratings are partly related to his handling of the Michaelides saga.
Christodoulides’ favourable ratings stood at just 9 per cent – compared to the 26 per cent recorded for ex-president Christofias in a poll conducted after the deadly explosion at the Mari naval base in July 2011.
On the flipside, 71 per cent of respondents had an unfavourable view of Christodoulides – compared to 61 per cent for Christofias in 2011.
The poll sample was significant, with 15,452 respondents participating.
One of the reasons for the current president’s poor ratings seems to be his handling of the affair involving the former auditor-general. The overwhelming majority of respondents felt that Christodoulides did nothing to prevent Michaelides’ sacking even though he could have.
Asked whether the ‘crisis’ relating to the former auditor-general might have been avoided, 77 per cent of respondents said yes.
On whether the president could have acted to prevent the showdown between the attorney-general and the Audit Office, 84 per cent said yes.
Meanwhile, 63 per cent of respondents thought Michaelides should run for president in 2028.
In a different poll released in May, 80 per cent had said they disagreed with the attorney-general’s move to file an application to have Michaelides dismissed.
Commenting on the latest findings on Tuesday, elections analyst Nasios Orinos said they point to the public’s deepening disaffection with president Christodoulides.
Speaking on Politis radio, the analyst spoke of a perception that the president is weak and not proactive.
For example, he cited the president’s appointment of a replacement for Michaelides on Tuesday, but only after an MP had tried to intervene during Christodoulides’ absence abroad.
“What we witnessed with [Diko MP] Zacharias Koulias is a challenge to the president first and foremost, as he is the one who governs the country,” remarked Orinos.
The president could have acted to name a new auditor-general prior to departing for New York, he added.
“The president [meaning Christodoulides] always looks at his personal image… he likes to attend inaugurations, book presentations etc. It’s part of his personal branding.”
The reference to book presentations has to do with Christodoulides attending such a function on September 10. On the day, the president temporarily left an ongoing meeting relating to the electricity connector, to attend the presentation.
