Cypriot MEP Phidias Panayiotou, whose candidacy made waves on the international political scene, addresses a question many might have wondered: how much does a Member of the European Parliament earn?

Phidias Panayiotou, the 24-year-old content creator from Cyprus who was elected as an MEP in this year’s elections, provides a detailed breakdown of his monthly earnings as a member of the European Parliament.

“Initially, I receive 8000 euros net, and additionally, for each working day, meaning each day I come to the Parliament and sign in, I get an extra 350 euros, which is a bit peculiar,” Panayiotou explains.

“Besides that, I receive 30,000 euros a month for my team’s salaries. Furthermore, I can have an office in my home country, for which the Parliament allocates a budget of up to 5000 euros,” he adds.

“On top of all this, I am also given 4000 euros per month to promote the work I do here in Parliament. Another interesting fact is that I receive 10,000 euros a month to bring people to the Parliament and explain what we do here,” he says.

The MEP also mentions certain perks he receives in addition to the money, which totals up to 60,000 euros so far, such as a driver to transport him in Brussels and covered expenses for returning to his home country.

At the end of the video, he poses a question that has often concerned many citizens, especially amid successive economic crises. “Do you think we are overpaid for what we do or underpaid?”

Phidias Panayiotou made a significant impact as an independent candidate, managing to garner almost 20% of the vote in the European elections and finishing third in the polls, surpassing historical parties and bringing a different approach to the country’s political scene.