Maria Karistianu said in a new interview that she initially did not aspire to a political career, but came to the conclusion that the current political system is unable to offer real solutions.
Speaking to the publication Down Town (Cyprus)Caristianu noted: “To be honest, I myself did not expect to be at this point. I didn’t start my journey with the intention of becoming a politician.” According to her, this is not about personal ambitions, but about the responsibility of an active citizen.
Maria Caristianu: “I didn’t go into politics, but this system is not capable of correcting itself” pic.twitter.com/SXrXMSpD7k
— Athens News (@russianathens) January 16, 2026
Asked why she felt remorse over the Tempi accident, Ms Karistianou replied: “It’s my fault! Of course it’s my fault! I am guilty because I allowed politicians to devalue our lives. I saw scandals that went unpunished, and I said: “This is how things are in Greece…”. With my tolerance, I allowed our country to become the most corrupt in Europe. Because in the end, it’s us who allow it to happen.”
“From a position of civic responsibility, I believe that we need to move towards more decisive action. This corrupt political system will never provide solutionsbecause real solutions would mean its own dismantling,” – she emphasized.
Answering a question about the timing and form of the political project, Carystiana explained that the civil movement is in the process of organizing and must “mature” enough to deserve the trust of voters.
“The name of the movement and the date of official statements have not yet been determined. This is not a personal decision. It will be the result collective processin which I participate along with others,” – she said.
Separately, Caristianu focused on the issue of leadership, emphasizing that a leader should not appoint himself. “The leader leaves the society. I respect the opinion of the majority and will accept any democratic choice. Now what is more important for us is not the figure at the head, but the content, ideas and real work of the team.”she concluded.
Editorial comment
Fresh survey data finally moves the situation from the category of “interesting” to systemically alarming for the current political elite. Maria Caristianu already has 28.7% support – more than the current Prime Minister and other key figures in the current political landscape.
It’s not just the growth of a new face. This collapse of trust to everyone else. Moreover, the fall is synchronous – in power, among former prime ministers, among the “eternal opposition”.
Those who previously chose the column during surveys “nobody” began to choose a specific person.
It is significant that the party in power formally remains first, but its leader is no longer there. This is a classic symptom of the late stage of the political cycle: the structure is maintained by inertia, and personalities have lost legitimacy in the eyes of the voter.
Karystiana in this configuration – not a “new politician”, but focus of frustration. They don’t vote for her, A against everyone else. That is why she is dangerous for the system: she has no past to cling to, and no obligations to the existing elites.
Will she be able to turn 28.7% support into a sustainable political structure is an open question. But one thing is already clear: this level of mistrust Greece has not seen active politicians for a long time. And this is no longer a fluctuation in ratings, but signal of a deep systemic crisis.
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