New Cyprus president to be elected on Sunday

Former foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides will face diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis in the second round of the Cypriot presidential elections on Sunday.

Christodoulides, who was expelled by the ruling Democratic Rally party (DISY) after he announced his candidacy, won the first round and polls suggest he is going into the runoff as the clear favorite against Mavroyiannis, who is backed by communist-back AKEL.

However, DISY, dismayed with Christodoulides, has advised its base to vote at will.

The decision was welcomed by the Mavroyiannis camp, whose optimism is also fueled by the fact that certain DISY officials, not least its president and former presidential candidate Averof Neofytou, have implied they may in fact support Mavroyiannis.

It is the first time in the history of Cyprus’ presidential elections that a DISY candidate for president did not make it the second round and is certainly the first time that some officials are unofficially entertaining the idea of supporting a candidate who is backed by AKEL.

Tellingly, Mavroyiannis has revealed that he talks daily with Neofytou.

The 49-year-old Christodoulides served as government spokesman and then foreign minister under outgoing President Nicos Anastasiades, while Mavroyiannis, 66, was Anastasiades’ chief negotiator in reunification talks with Turkish Cypriots after having served as Cypriot ambassador to the United Nations, France and Ireland.