Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday that the government is fully prepared to hold and facilitate the forthcoming parliamentary elections. He said the state apparatus is ready to ensure the process runs smoothly on election day.
President’s remarks in Nicosia
Christodoulides made the comments during a visit to a school in Nicosia. He said the state is prepared to manage elections with the most candidates to date and to avoid problems on election day.
Record number of candidates and parties
A total of 753 people filed candidacies for the parliamentary elections on Wednesday, competing for one of 56 seats in the House. The candidates belong to 19 political parties, with additional candidates running as independents.
Chief returning officer Elikkos Elia said the number of candidates and parties is the highest in history. The previous high was recorded in 2021, when 651 candidates and 15 parties contested the election.
Seat allocation by district
Of the 56 seats up for election later this month, 19 are allocated to the Nicosia district, 12 to the Limassol district, 11 to the Famagusta district, six to the Larnaca district, five to the Paphos district, and three to the Kyrenia district.
Paphos gained an extra seat ahead of May’s election due to growth in its voting population, with the additional seat coming from the Nicosia district.
Constitutional background
The Republic of Cyprus’ constitution initially provided for a parliament with 50 voting members, including 35 Greek Cypriots and 15 Turkish Cypriots, alongside non-voting observers from the Armenian, Latin, and Maronite communities.
After the breakdown of constitutional order and intercommunal violence in 1963, Turkish Cypriots were unable to return to their parliamentary seats, leaving 35 voting members.
Ahead of the 1985 parliamentary elections, the number was raised to 56 Greek Cypriot members after the constitution was altered using the doctrine of necessity. The amendment provides for 24 Turkish Cypriots to be elected, but this has not occurred as the Cyprus problem remains unresolved.
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