Nicosia, Cyprus. Eleven women won seats in Cyprus’ new House of Representatives on Sunday, marking the highest level of female parliamentary representation in the country’s history. Women now hold 19.6 per cent of the 56 seats, although they still account for less than one fifth of MPs.
Female representation rises
The new parliament includes 11 women, up from eight MPs, or 14.3 per cent, in the previous legislature elected in 2021. The number has fluctuated since 1960, with the previous high reached in 2020 when 12 women served in parliament.
Cyprus also recorded the lowest share of women in national parliament in the European Union in 2025, well below the EU average of 33.6 per cent. This year’s election saw more women standing as candidates, with 224 women contesting seats, or 29.7 per cent of all candidates, compared with 160 women, or 24.3 per cent, in 2021.
Incumbents and new arrivals
Of the eight women elected in 2021 who sought re-election, six retained their seats.
They are House president Annita Demetriou of Disy in Larnaca, Fotini Tsiridou of Disy in Limassol, Marina Nicolaou of Akel in Limassol, Savia Orphanidou of Disy in Nicosia, Christiana Erotokritou of Diko in Nicosia, and Irene Charalambides of Alma in Nicosia.
Five women will enter parliament for the first time. Akel won two new female MPs with Argentoula Ioannou in Limassol and Anastasia Hasikou in Kyrenia, while Alma’s Theodoulitsa Drousiotou was elected in Famagusta.
Diana Constantinidi also won a seat in Famagusta with Direct Democracy.
District firsts and preference votes
A symbolic first was recorded in Paphos, where Nicoletta Constantinou of Disy became the first woman elected in the district.
The increase in female representation was also reflected in preference votes. Excluding Demetriou, who as Disy leader headed the party’s Larnaca ballot and was not subject to preference voting, Orphanidou received the highest number of preference votes among female candidates, with 11,367 in Nicosia.
