Anastasiades urges Disy and Christodoulides to agree on 2028 runoff support

Nicosia, Cyprus. Former president Nicos Anastasiades has called for an agreement between Disy and President Nikos Christodoulides under which either side would support the other against an Akel-backed candidate if it failed to qualify for the 2028 presidential runoff.

Party strategy and nomination contest

In remarks on ANT1’s podcast, scheduled to air in full on Wednesday, Anastasiades said discussions about potential cooperation with other parties should have preceded Disy’s internal candidate selection process.

He pledged to support whichever candidate Disy chooses and rejected criticism from people he said presented themselves as more loyal to Pindarou than himself.

“I have not betrayed and will not betray the party,” he said.

Anastasiades said party leader Annita Demetriou had been right to withdraw from the nomination contest. He appealed to the two contenders still in the race to prevent a split, stressing that their current rivalry must give way to unity the following day.

He confirmed having spoken to George Pamboridis and said arrangements were being made for a meeting with Averof Neophytou.

Internal leaks and government policy

Anastasiades denounced the leaking of discussions from internal party meetings as “blows below the belt”. Without identifying Neophytou by name, he also said people who had suffered an election defeat could not hold others responsible for their own errors.

Turning to Christodoulides, Anastasiades expressed agreement with the government’s policies on the economy, social affairs and foreign relations, while criticising delays in infrastructure project announcements.

He also reported complaints that Christodoulides disregarded associates and ministers because he believed certain matters were his to decide.