Credit:Zeljko Heymer (FOTW Flags Of The World website at flagspot.net)

Election Date: May 21, 2006

At Stake: House of Representatives

Background

Annexed as a British colony in 1925, the island country of Cyprus gained its independence in 1960 after its two communities mutually supported a new constitution. Among several provisions, the body of law guaranteed that the Turkish Cypriot minority would be allocated 24 seats in the unicameral legislative branch, with the remaining 56 seats filled by Greek Cypriots.

Talk of constitutional changes that would alter the power sharing arrangement led to an outbreak of violence in 1963, which culminated with the Turkish Cypriot community withdrawing from the government. In 1964, the United Nations (UN) sent a peacekeeping force to the country in hopes of mollifying the tension.

In 1974, some Greek Cypriot factions, eager to make Cyprus a part of Greece, attempted a coup to topple the Cypriot government. While the coup failed—even as it was backed by Greece—Turkey sent troops to the island, ostensibly to protect the Turkish Cypriot communities. Once there, the Turkish forces partitioned the island, the northern third of which was claimed by Turkish Cypriots.

After the schism, intermittent skirmishes between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities were punctuated by sporadic peace negotiations. Several UN sponsored sessions were largely unfruitful. In fact, in 1983, Turkish Cypriots unilaterally declared the northern third of the island, which it controlled, to be the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Turkey was, and remains, the only government that recognizes the creation.

In 2003, Tassos Papadopoulos of the Democratic Party (DIKO) won the presidential election, defeating incumbent Glafkos Klerides of the Democratic Rally (DISY). Papadopoulos was also supported by the Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL) and the Movement for Social Democracy (KISOS). The president is both the head of state and the head of government in Cyprus.

While tensions have calcified into an uneasy truce between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, a series of developments regarding European Union (EU) membership caused new strain.

With the Greek Cypriot—the only internationally recognized—portion of the island set to join the EU, a referendum was held in early 2004 on both sides to determine whether reunification remained a possibility prior to entry. Papadopoulos urged Greek Cypriots to vote "No." In the end, most Turkish Cypriots voted to end the separation, but Greek Cypriots rejected the notion by a wide margin.

In May 2004, Cyprus—the Greek portion thereof—entered the EU.

2006 House of Representatives Election

In the 2001 legislative election, the Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL) received 34.7 per cent of the vote and earned 20 seats, followed by the Democratic Rally (DS) with 34 per cent and 19 seats.

On Feb. 8, interior minister Andreas Christou announced that the House of Representatives would be dissolved on Apr. 13 to accommodate a five-week campaign period ahead of the parliamentary election set for May 21.

In accordance with the country's 1960 constitution, only 56 of the 80 seats will be contested in the upcoming election. The remaining 24 seats, constitutionally guaranteed to the Turkish Cypriot minority, have been left unfilled since 1963.

The election is expected to cost $5.3 million U.S. for the government to administer, which will include undertaking measures like printing "special leaflets in Turkish so that the Turkish Cypriots living in the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus can also vote," Christou said. Some 500,000 Greek Cypriots, along with about 2,000 Turkish Cypriots, are expected at the country's 1,300 polling stations on election day.

A February poll by Evresis put the Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL) in first place with 32.3 per cent, followed by the Democratic Rally (DISY) with 31.4 per cent, and the Democratic Party (DIKO) with 19.9 per cent.

On Apr. 18, interior minister Andreas Christou revealed that the country would have the largest number of parties and candidates ever, saying, "This time around we will have the biggest ballot for a parliamentary election."

An April poll by Symmetron had AKEL in first place with 32.1 per cent, followed by DIKO with 30.6 per cent and EDEK with 18.7 per cent.

By early May, 487 candidates had been registered to run in the election. AKEL leader Demetris Christofias said his party was "confident" in achieving a victory in Nicosia, which has traditionally supported the DISY.

On May 8, Papadopoulos urged voters to support his party and reject the reunification proposal developed by United Nations (UN) secretary-general Kofi Annan, declaring, "These elections shall convey the message that the Greek Cypriot people are steadfast in their opposition to the Annan plan. Many people abroad and here are awaiting the election outcome with great anxiety. They want to see whether the president's foreign policy has the backing of the majority of the people."

Voting took place on May 21. Final results gave AKEL and DIKO 29 seats in the legislative branch, enough to guarantee that AKEL leader Christofias will preside the chamber.

DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades expressed disappointment with the outcome, declaring, "We were attacked from everywhere, even from inside, but those who abandoned us could not destroy the party."

Political Players

President: Tassos Papadopoulos - DIKO

The president is elected to a five-year term by popular vote.

Legislative Branch: The House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon / Temsilciler Meclisi) has 83 members elected to five-year terms. Currently, 56 Greek Cypriot members are elected by proportional representation, and three members represent the Maronite, Roman-Catholic and Armenian minorities. The 24 seats allocated to the Turkish community have not been filled since 1963.

Results of Last Election:

President - Feb. 16, 2003

House of Representatives - May 21, 2006

Archive Search

Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Election Tracker archive.