IFES Election Guide - Election Profile for Cyprus

Election Profile:

Overview

Results

Of Interest/Links

Sources

Country: Cyprus
Official Name: Republic of Cyprus
Election Type: Presidential
Date: February 17, 2013

At stake in this election:

The office of President of Cyprus

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS *
Head of Government: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS
Assembly: Cyprus has a unicameral House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon) with 80 seats.

* *Note: The 1960 Constitution stipulates that the President (who must be a Greek Cypriot) is elected by the Greek Cypriot community while the Vice President (who must be a Turkish Cypriot) is elected by the Turkish Cypriot community. However, the position of Vice President remains vacant.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term.
In the House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon) 80 members are elected by open list proportional representation in multi-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.***

*** Seats are divided into 6 multi-member constituencies. 56 seats are assigned to the Greek Cypriots and 24 to Turkish Cypriots, but only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled. The seats for the Turkish Cypriots have remained vacant since 1964.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

Nikos ANASTASIADES
Alliance: Democratic Rally - Democratic Party (DISY - DIKO) / Δημοκρατικός Συναγερμός - Δημοκρατικό Κόμμα (ΔΗΣΥ- ΔΗΚΟ)
Stavros MALAS**
Independent(s): Independent
Giorgos LILLIKAS***
Independent(s): Independent

** MALAS is an independent, but will be supported by the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) / Ανορθωτικό Κόμμα Εργαζόμενου Λαού (ΑΚΕΛ) in the election.
*** LILLIKAS is an independent, but his campaign is being supported by the Movement for Social Democracy (EDEK) / Κίνημα Σοσιαλδημοκρατών (ΕΔΕΚ)