Guess what? A YouTuber turned politician, with zero prior political experience, has just spilled the beans on his whopping salary after being elected to the European Parliament. Meet Fidias Panayiotou, the influencer who danced his way into politics!
@jordanwelchyt fidias reveals how much money he makes per month. 💰 #jordanwelch
Fidias didn’t need a detailed manifesto or grand promises to charm the voters earlier this year. His platform? Just have a good time and see what happens.
And what happened was pretty impressive – at 24, this Cypriot entertainer snagged 19.4 percent of the vote, earning himself a seat as an independent MEP. Quite the shocker, even to him!
Panayiotou is now living the MEP life and keeps his fans in the loop about his new world. Curiosity about his salary was inevitable, and just last week, Fidias answered the burning question on everyone’s mind.
Without beating around the bush, Panayiotou declared, “it’s a lot,” and proceeded to give a breakdown of the figures.
“Let’s start with my salary,” he shared, disclosing that he pockets €8,000 ($8,659) monthly.
But there’s more! He also gets €350 ($378) for each day he pops into the parliament just to sign some papers – a perk he finds “a bit strange.”
“Apart from that, I get €30,000 ($32,473) per month for my team’s salaries,” he added.
“Also I can have an office [in] my country and they give me €5,000 ($5,412) a month.”
The numbers just keep climbing. Fidias also bags €4,000 ($4,328) monthly for promoting his work, plus a hefty €10,000 ($10,824) to organize introductions to the parliamentary processes for visitors.
And the cherry on top? Perks like a driver in Brussels and business class flights home.
“I’m curious to hear if you think we are overpaid or underpaid. Let me know,” he invited comments from his audience.
The revelation has certainly stirred a pot of mixed reactions. While some viewers are reeling from the figures, commenting on the excessive nature of political salaries, others appreciate his transparency.
“Politicians should get paid minimum wage.. Maybe then they would figure out how to make life affordable,” one person vented on Twitter.
Another simply stated, “Way overpaid….”
Yet, some supporters argue that as long as the funds are well-utilized, the compensation is justified. Meanwhile, many praise Panayiotou for his candor about his earnings in such a secretive sphere.