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Politics of Cyprus

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Politics of Cyprus

Ministries

Summarize
Perspective

The Ministers form the Council of Ministers, including other members who may not be listed, which is an independent collective body with independent powers. In bold is listed a Ministry that was not an original ministry, but created after London and Zürich Agreements.[1]

  1. Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Minister: Petros Xenophontos
  2. Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Minister: Giorgos Papanastasiou
  3. Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, Minister: Alexis Vafiades
  4. Ministry of Defence, Minister: Vasilis Palmas
  5. Ministry of Education, Sports and youth, Minister: Dr Athena Michaelidou
  6. Ministry of Finance, Minister: Makis Keravnos
  7. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister: Constantinos Kombos
  8. Ministry of Health, Minister: Popi Kanari
  9. Ministry of Interior, Minister: Constantinos Ioannou
  10. Ministry of Justice and Public Order, Minister: Anna Prokopiou
  11. Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Minister: Yiannis Panayiotou[1][2]

Deputy Ministries

  1. Deputy Ministry of Shipping, Deputy Minister: Marina Hadjimanoli
  2. Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Deputy Minister: Costas Koumis
  3. Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Deputy Minister: Nicodemos Damianou
  4. Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, Deputy Minister: Marilena Evangelou
  5. Deputy Ministry of Culture, Deputy Minister: Vasiliki Kassianidou
  6. Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Asylum, Depute Minister: Nicholas A Ioannides[2]

Legislative branch

The House of Representatives (Greek: Βουλή των Αντιπροσώπων, romanized: Voulḗ tōn Antiprosṓpōn; Turkish: Temsilciler Meclisi) has 59 members elected for a five-year term: 56 Greek Cypriot members chosen by proportional representation and 3 observer members representing the Maronite, Latin Catholic and Armenian minorities. 24 seats are allocated to the Turkish community, but are currently vacant.[3]

Political parties

Summarize
Perspective
For other political parties, see List of political parties in Cyprus. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Cyprus.

Democratic Rally (DISY)

Main article: Democratic Rally

The centre-right Democratic Rally (DISY) is the largest political party in Cyprus, currently holding 17 of the 56 seats in the House of Representatives.[4] Founded on July 4, 1976, by veteran politician Glafcos Clerides, DISY emerged from the split of the right-wing "Eniaion" into two opposing parties: DISY and DIKO.[5][6]

DISY is a Christian democratic[7][8] and liberal-conservative[9] party, often described as the most Atlanticist, pro-NATO and pro-EU party in Cyprus.[10][11] The party is currently led by Annita Demetriou,[12] who also serves as the President of the Cypriot House of Representatives, making her the first woman to hold this office.[13] Two former leaders of the party have served as Presidents of Cyprus, Glafcos Clerides (1993–2003) and Nicos Anastasiades (2013–2023).[14] DISY is a member of the European People's Party.[15]

Over the years, internal disagreements, particularly regarding the Cyprus issue, have led to the formation of three splinter parties: the European Party (EvroKo), European Democracy (EvroDi)[16][17][18] and Solidarity Movement.[19][20] The current President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, was previously a member of DISY and served as Government Spokesman (2014–2018) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2018–2022) under Anastasiades. Christodoulides sought DISY's nomination for the 2023 presidential election, but following accusations of undermining his campaign, he resigned from his ministerial role and launched an independent candidacy.[21][22][23]

Notable Figures

Notable Former Party Members

Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL)

Main article: Progressive Party of Working People

The left-wing Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) is the second largest political party in Cyprus, currently holding 15 of the 56 seats in the House of Representatives.[4] It was founded in 1926 with the name "Communist Party of Cyprus" fighting against fascism, imperialism and chauvinism, but also aiming at the independence of Cyprus from British rule.[24]

AKEL is a Marxist–Leninist, eurosceptic and communist party,[25][26][27] classified as left-wing[28][29] to far-left.[30] It is currently led by MP Stefanos Stefanou and it is a member of The Left in the European Parliament.[31] One party leader, Demetris Christofias, served as the President of Cyprus (2008-2013) for one term, without seeking re-election. Other presidents that were supported by AKEL were Archbishop Makarios III, Spyros Kyprianou, George Vassiliou and Tassos Papadopoulos.

Notable Figures

Notable Former Party Members

Democratic Party (DIKO)

Main article: Democratic Party (Cyprus)

The Democratic Party (DIKO) is the largest centrist political party in Cyprus,[32] currently holding 9 out of the 56 seats in the House of Representatives.[4] Like the Democratic Rally (DISY), DIKO was founded in 1976 following the split of the right-wing "Eniaion". Initially named the Democratic Alignment (DIPA), the party was led by Spyros Kyprianou.[5]

DIKO is variously described as centrist,[33][34] centre-left[35] or centre-right;[36][37][38] internationally, it is a member of the Progressive Alliance, which groups together mainly centre-left parties.[39] DIKO claims to be the most loyal follower of the policies of Archbishop Makarios, the founding father of the Republic of Cyprus.[40] It is currently led by Nikolas Papadopoulos, son of Tassos Papadopoulos, former President of Cyprus and of DIKO.[41]

At its inception in 1976, DIKO maintained the right-wing ideology of its parent-party, Eniaion.[5] However, in June 2003, under the leadership of Tassos Papadopoulos, DIKO announced a shift away from its traditional centre-right stance and declared an intention to move towards social democracy.[42] The party has adopted a firm and hardline stance on the Cyprus problem, particularly in its strong opposition to the Annan Plan in 2004. While DIKO supports European integration and advocates a non-aligned foreign policy, it has also expressed support for Cyprus joining NATO's Partnership for Peace.[43]

Two former leaders of the party have served as Presidents of Cyprus, Spyros Kyprianou (1977-1988) and Tassos Papadopoulos (2003-2008). The current President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, although running as an independent, was supported by DIKO, making the party the largest in the current government.[44]

Internal disagreements over the Cyprus problem led to the creation of the splinter party Democratic Alignment (DIPA), in 2018, led by the former president of DIKO, Marios Garoyian.

Notable Figures

Notable Former Party Members

Latest elections

President

Main article: 2023 Cypriot presidential election
More information Candidate, Party ...
CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Nikos ChristodoulidesIndependent[a]127,30932.04204,86751.97
Andreas MavroyiannisIndependent[b]117,55129.59189,33548.03
Averof NeofytouDemocratic Rally103,74826.11
Christos ChristouNational Popular Front23,9886.04
Achilleas DimitriadesIndependent[c]8,1372.05
Constantinos ChristofidesNew Wave – The Other Cyprus6,3261.59
Georgios ColocassidesIndependent5,2871.33
Alexios SavvidesIndependent2,3950.60
Charalampos AristotelousIndependent8660.22
Celestina de PetroIndependent5750.14
Andronicos ZervidesIndependent3410.09
Ioulia Khovrina KomninouUnited Cyprus Republican Party3300.08
Andreas EfstratiouIndependent2990.08
Loukas StavrouNational Communitarian Reconstruction1650.04
Total397,317100.00394,202100.00
Valid votes397,31798.27394,20296.95
Invalid votes5,3331.328,4282.07
Blank votes1,6710.413,9860.98
Total votes404,321100.00406,616100.00
Registered voters/turnout561,27372.04561,27372.45
Source: Central Electoral Service, Central Electoral Service
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Parliament

Main article: 2021 Cypriot legislative election
More information Party, Votes ...
Thumb
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Democratic Rally99,32827.7717–1
Progressive Party of Working People79,91322.3415–1
Democratic Party40,39511.2990
National Popular Front24,2556.784+2
Movement for Social Democracy–Citizens' Alliance24,0226.724–2
Democratic Front21,8326.104New
Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation15,7624.413+1
Active Citizens – Movement of Cypriot United Hunters11,7123.270New
Generation Change10,0952.820New
Solidarity Movement8,2542.310–3
Famagusta for Cyprus5,5961.560New
Awakening 20204,8391.350New
People's Breath4,5851.2800
Animal Party Cyprus3,5931.0000
Patriotic Coalition3760.110New
Independents3,1550.8800
Total357,712100.00560
Valid votes357,71297.57
Invalid votes6,8261.86
Blank votes2,0700.56
Total votes366,608100.00
Registered voters/turnout557,83665.72
Source: Ministry of Interior
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European

Main article: 2024 European Parliament election in Cyprus
More information Party, Votes ...
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Democratic Rally91,31624.7820
Progressive Party of Working People79,16321.491–1
Independent – Fidias Panayiotou71,33019.361New
National Popular Front41,21511.191+1
Democratic Party35,8159.7210
EDEK Socialist Party18,6815.070–1
Volt Cyprus10,7772.9200
Democratic Alignment7,9882.1700
Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation4,7421.290New
Movement of Cypriot United Hunters4,6031.250New
Animal Party Cyprus1,0130.2700
National Action Movement9790.270New
Independent – Andronikos Zervides4440.120New
Victory Movement3890.110New
Total368,455100.0060
Source: https://live.elections.moi.gov.cy/
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Political pressure groups and leaders

  1. Cypriot Workers Union (Greek: Συνομοσπονδία Εργατών Κύπρου (Σ.Ε.Κ.))
  2. Union of Cypriots (Greek: Ένωσις Κυπρίων; Turkish: Kıbrıslılar Birliği)
  3. Revolutionary Trade Unions Federation (DEV-İŞ)
  4. Pan-Cyprian Labour Federation or PEO (Greek: Παγκύπρια Εργατική Ομοσπονδία (Π.Ε.Ο.))
  5. Eleftheria Citizens Initiative (Greek: Πρωτοβουλία Πολιτών Ελευθερία)

Administrative divisions

Thumb
Map of the Districts in Cyprus
See also: Districts of Cyprus

The island is divided into 6 administrative divisions: Nicosia (Lefkosia), Limassol (Lemesos), Larnaca, Paphos, Famagusta (Ammochostos), and Kyrenia.[d]

Exclaves and enclaves

Cyprus has four exclaves, all in territory that belongs to the British Sovereign Base Area of Dhekelia. The first two are the villages of Ormidhia and Xylotymvou. Additionally there is the Dhekelia Power Station, which is divided by a British road into two parts. The northern part is an enclave, like the two villages, whereas the southern part is located by the sea and therefore not an enclave —although it has no territorial waters of its own.[45]

The UN buffer zone separating the territory controlled by the Turkish Cypriot administration from the rest of Cyprus runs up against Dhekelia and picks up again from its east side, off of Ayios Nikolaos (connected to the rest of Dhekelia by a thin land corridor). In that sense, the buffer zone turns the south-east corner of the island, the Paralimni area, into a de facto, though not de jure, exclave.

See also

Notes

  1. Supported by DIKO, EDEK, DIPA, Solidarity, Active Citizens – United Cypriot Hunters Movement and Animal Party Cyprus
  2. Supported by AKEL and Generation Change
  3. Supported by Famagusta for Cyprus
  4. Occupied area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta (Ammochostos), and small parts of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca.

References

Further reading

External links

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