This is no joke: the island nation of Cyprus is now home a political party for animals. It was launched in Nicosia on Sunday. It is called Animal Party Cyprus and follows the lead of Holland – which seems like the first to launch a political party for animals.
We are not sure how the animals will vote but their custodians say that they will take part in the European Parliament elections on May 25.
The animals won’t really vote but those supporting the party will vote in favor of those who don’t have a voice.
Who was at the launch? Olympia Stylianou, the Permanent Secretary of the Environment and Agriculture Development Ministry, the founder and coordinator of APC, Kyriakos Kyriakou, and the leader of the Netherlands Party for Animals, Dutch MP Marianne Thieme.
One of the goals of the party is to improve animal welfare. Something sorely needed in Cyprus, a land that brutally kills millions of wild songbirds for a pickled dish.
APC founder Kyriakou said that the newly formed party “together with our sister parties is dedicated to reducing the cruel suffering that non human animals are forced to endure.”
Factory farming, genetic cloning, and the import of large caged animals are just three of many issues that the Animal Party are trying to solve.
Author: Karin Kloosterman
Karin Kloosterman is an award-winning journalist, innovation strategist, and founder of Green Prophet, one of the Middle East’s pioneering sustainability platforms. She has ranked in the Top 10 of Verizon innovation competitions, participated in NASA-linked challenges, and spoken worldwide on climate, food security, and future resilience. With an IoT technology patent, features in Canada’s National Post, and leadership inside teams building next-generation agricultural and planetary systems — including Mars-farming concepts — Karin operates at the intersection of storytelling, science, and systems change. She doesn’t report on the future – she helps design it. Reach out directly to [email protected]
