Presidential. In Cyprus, an election for nothing?

More than 550,000 voters are called to ballot on Sunday February 5 to elect the new President of the Republic of Cyprus. “Nikos Anastasiades will not run again, but the three main candidates have all been his close aides, presents the Greek weekly To Vima . Nikos Christodoulidis [Centre, indépendant], as a former government spokesman and foreign minister; Averof Neophytou, as President of the Democratic Rally [le Disy, parti du président sortant] ; and Andreas Mavroyiannis [Akel, parti de gauche]as chief negotiator for the Cyprus problem throughout the Anastasiades administration.”

The favorite in the polls, Nikos Christodoulidis, is independent of the two major traditional parties, which could initiate a reorganization of the political landscape.

“If in previous presidential elections, things were relatively easy for the Democratic Rally, which succeeded in electing Nikos Anastasiades to the presidency for a second term, the current situation is completely different, summarizes O Phileleftheros . The divide that appears to have been created by Christodoulidis’ candidacy and the subsequent splits within the ruling party form different dynamics.

However, the left-wing Akel party, “after a decade in the role of the opposition, has not been able to take advantage of the weaknesses of the government”, estimates the largest Cypriot daily.

“No one knows what will happen to the Cyprus issue, which is at a tragic impasse. Nor how the country will get out of the vicious circle of corruption caused by the outgoing government”, worries about his Politis side .

“For months, the election campaign has turned into a power struggle without separate political proposals. The electoral map may well change, but what does it matter if the policy remains the same? ”, asks the Cypriot daily.

Historical responsibility

For the Cyprus Mail , “the three major issues, largely interrelated, are the Cyprus problem, corruption and the economy”. But it is above all the partition of the island that worries the English-speaking Cypriot newspaper. And it is on this subject that the candidates seem to differ.

Nikos Christodoulidis is “in favor of the partition of Cyprus”, while Averof Neophytou and Andreas Mavroyiannis “are for reunification, on condition that the umbilical cord which economically and politically connects the northern part of Cyprus to Turkey is cut”.

To “prevent the disaster” of partition and for “the very survival of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities”, the newspaper calls on the two traditional parties and their voters to unite. “The responsibility of the two great historical parties is enormous. They must rise to the occasion,” concludes the Cyprus Mail.