Children’s rights commissioner warns against using children as political props in anti-energy price protest
Cyprus Children’s Rights Commissioner Elena Pericleous has publicly condemned the use of children in political activism after an MEP posted a video featuring children advocating for a protest against high energy prices. Pericleous expressed concern about children being involved in campaigns without full understanding or free will, emphasizing the importance of protecting children from manipulation.
The commissioner stressed that while children have a right to participate in public life, their involvement must be informed, voluntary, and genuine, not shaped or exploited by adults to advance political agendas. She warned that using children as tools to amplify adult opinions risks crossing into manipulation.
The controversy arose after MEP Fidias Panayiotou shared a video of children calling on the public to join a planned protest on October 17 in Nicosia against soaring energy costs. Pericleous had already sent a letter to Panayiotou urging him to reconsider the approach, highlighting the broader issue of safeguarding children's rights in public participation.
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