Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus is set to field a record number of women candidates in the May 24 parliamentary elections, with 224 women among 753 candidates. The increase reflects a gradual rise in women’s political participation over the past two decades, amid ongoing questions about influence and access to power.
Record candidacies and global benchmarks
Women candidates account for 29.7 per cent of the total in Cyprus. UN Women reports that women make up 27.4 per cent of members of parliament worldwide and 22.4 per cent of cabinet ministers heading policy areas, highlighting gaps between political presence and decision-making power.
Cyprus representation in parliament and EU comparison
Cyprus ranks 150 out of 182 countries, between Ghana and India, with female parliamentary representation at 14.3 per cent. Rwanda is cited as the top country for female parliamentary representation at 63.8 per cent.
Cyprus currently has eight women in parliament. The number has fluctuated since 1960, with the highest level recorded as 12 women in 2020. In 2025, Cyprus recorded the lowest share of women in national parliament across the EU, below the EU average of 33.6 per cent.
Barriers beyond candidate numbers
The Cyprus Mail reported that interviews with women across the political spectrum pointed to a political system in which access, networks, money, scrutiny and power do not operate equally.
Christiana Erotokritou, a Diko candidate and MP since 2016, said the issue is whether the system provides women the same route to influence. “Representation is neither fair nor equal in influence,” she said, adding that while presence is increasing slowly, access to decision-making centres remains unequal. She also said society may be ahead of political parties, stating that citizens are looking for competence, authenticity and effectiveness, not gender.
What do you think needs to change most to ensure women candidates in Cyprus translate participation into political influence?
