Diko to decide on 2028 presidential support through party bodies, Papadopoulos says

Nicosia, Cyprus. Diko leader Nicholas Papadopoulos said on Sunday that his party has not decided whether it will support President Nikos Christodoulides’ re-election campaign in 2028, stressing that “Diko does not give blank cheques to anyone”.

He said the decision would be taken by the party’s collective bodies after the completion of an ongoing internal dialogue.

Collective decision

Papadopoulos told Politis that Diko’s central committee would make the decision on the presidential elections following the party’s internal discussions.

He said the dialogue would consider an evaluation of the government’s work, cooperation within the government, and prospects for the next five years.

“The party’s decision is not a given for anyone, as this decision will not be made by me, but it will be collective,” he said.

Papadopoulos added that Diko would first need to hear Christodoulides’ intentions, vision and proposals for the next five years.

Programme-based cooperation

Any electoral cooperation, he said, would be based on a specific programme, defined positions and an overall vision for the coming years.

Diko endorsed Christodoulides in the 2023 presidential election and has continued to support his government since then. Papadopoulos said no individual could decide the party’s position on the 2028 election.

“We must, therefore, respect the collective bodies of the party, our fellow activists, and the intra-party dialogue,” he said.

He added that Diko viewed the implementation of the government’s work positively and had contributed to both the formulation and implementation of the government’s programme.

Internal discussions continue

Asked about the views of Diko’s grassroots members, Papadopoulos said district conferences were currently focused on mapping the political scene, evaluating the government’s work and examining prospects for the next five years for both the party and the country.

He said he would not discuss trends or positions before all party members had had an opportunity to express their views.

Papadopoulos was also asked about Diko ministers, including Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides, who have said the party will support Christodoulides’ 2028 campaign. He stressed that Diko maintains its independence from the government.