Cyprus elects new parliament

Agencies | Athens

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

People are heading to the polls to elect a new parliament in the Republic of Cyprus on Sunday.

Polls indicate a neck-and-neck race in the EU country between the conservative Democratic Rally (DISY) party and the left-wing Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL).

The DISY party supports the incumbent conservative President Nikos Anastasiades. In the Cypriot political system, the president leads the government and is elected directly, according to the Deutsche press agency (dpa).

The elections are considered a political barometer for the presidential election in 2023.

Polling stations open at 7 am (04:00 GMT). Projections are expected after 17:00 GMT.

More than 550,000 people are eligible to vote and 15 parties are contesting the elections. 

Cyprus has been divided since a Greek coup and a Turkish military intervention in 1974, into an internationally recognized Greek Cypriot part in the south and a smaller Turkish Cypriot part in the north, only recognized by Turkey.

The south has been an EU member since May 1, 2004. Residents of the northern part of the island are considered EU citizens, but EU law does not apply there.

The parliament in the capital Nicosia has in fact 80 members, but at present, only 56 Greek Cypriot lawmakers belong to it. The 24 seats for the Turkish Cypriot members of parliament have been vacant since 1963.