I want to try my hand at human rights politics, says Elena Akrita, clarifying that “I’m not going to fit into molds I don’t believe in.” “When you hear that yes, but, there is hidden homophobia,” she emphasizes, insisting that the KKE is a homophobic party.
How he finally crossed the Rubicon and moved from journalism to politics, after a proposal from “Alexis Tsipras himself”, explains SYRIZA-PS state candidate Elena Akrita.
The writer and journalist Elena Akrita welcomes us into her home -in the company of her dogs- and talks about everything: the decision to go into politics, the battle against depression, fb, the conflict with the KKE, Tsipras, the voluntary term in Revista thurios.
“First I learned to cross ballots for my father and then to write”, he reveals and describes the political environment in which he grew up with his father Louki Akritas, his grandfather, but also his mother Sylva.
“I want to work in Parliament for human rights,” he emphasizes.
Are you cashing in on your popularity on Facebook with a political stance? “When you have 300 thousand followers, think about how well they have done. On issues of the LGBTI community, inclusion, visibility, gender violence, femicides, bullying, people with mental illnesses, etc. These are the areas that interest me, ”he replies.
I want to fight for people with mental disorders. I have been fighting my own 30 year battle with depression.
The state candidate of SYRIZA-PS Ms. Elena Akrita with the journalist Mr. Dimitris Maniatis
For people with a mental disorder: I will fight like a person who suffered
“I will also fight as a person who suffered from a mental disorder, the depression that I struggle with and I have also written a book, “Mama Koita”, which chronicles these thirty dark years for me. The one who suffers from it, if he does not decide for himself, he will never recover ”, emphasizes Elena Akrita, clearly describing how depression works.
“The moment I said ‘oops’ was when my son came home from school one day and said ‘you’re yelling from inside.’ And that’s when I realized that he needed help and support.” Aware, he emphasizes that “no story has an absolutely happy ending. […] When you’re depressed, you’re always sick.”
Committing that as a parliamentarian she will work in these fields, Ms Akrita refers to the “battles” she fought “at cost” over the Zak Kostopoulos and Vangelis Giakoumakis case.
For the “portfolio”: They know who I am and what I will do
“I don’t know how much grains make, or if our foreign policy is correct,” says Elena Akrita, emphasizing that the areas she wants to address are rights, inclusion, gender violence, femicide, visibility, bowling …”.
“That is why I want to work and that is why they offered me the offer. They know who I am.”
On LGBTQI acceptance: “yes, but” hides homophobia carbine
The hypocrisy that exists in issues concerning the LGBTI community is underlined by Elena Akrita, when she characteristically says “if you listen to the ‘but’ there is homophobia behind it”.
Why can’t a gay couple who love each other get married? Marriage is also a celebration”, emphasizes Ms. Akrita, revealing that she also discussed the topic of “marriage for all” with Alexis Tsipras.
“We talked, friend, what do you think and if you agree or not,” he says characteristically. Do heterosexual couples ask someone if they want to get married?
On his attitude in Parliament: I do not fit into molds
But what will Elena do if SYRIZA-PS is not the government and is ND after May 21 and brings a good rights law. Would she vote for him? “Yes,” she replies immediately.
“I am not going to fit into moulds. They called me because I am Elena Akrita, I have this specific speech, this specific story, this style and this overflowing personality.”
On the conflict with the KKE: I insist that it is a homophobic party
When asked how she was convinced that SYRIZA is better than ND, Ms. Akrita just laughs, while pointing out the criticism of the KKE that considers them equal, the tone changes and she talks about the conflict she had with the KKE.
“I had a big conflict with the KKE. Because I said that it is clearly a homophobic party. The mud I received for this from the KKE newspapers and magazines, not even from the extreme right,” says Elena Akrita, who insists: Yes, the KKE is homophobic and it is also evident in its latest actions.
On offer to join government: Tsipras did it to me, I didn’t say yes right away
Elena Akrita says that the proposal to be a candidate was made by Alexis Tsipras himself, recalling that it is not the first time. “My first proposal since 2019 for a MEP has been made by SYRIZA”, and in fact sometimes my husband makes fun of me and tells me that now we would have all the gossip first hand, because what has happened in the European Parliament Parliament, Kailis, Georgeulides…”
He explains that his suspensions were mainly because he did not want to leave journalism, but in the end he decided to make that “sacrifice”.
On the relationship with the left: I am asti but I have deep center-left roots
I was in the left space since I was a child, but never a member, says Elena Akrita.
“I am an activist but with a democratic environment. My father was one of those deputies who did not agree with the execution of Nikos Belogiannis and his companions.”
“I turned off my unbuttoned houses in London. I could travel the whole planet. I want to give something back to this life,” he adds.