Cyprus: Nikos Christodoulides wins the presidential election

The former head of Cypriot diplomacy Nikos Christodoulides won the presidential election on Sunday February 12 in the divided island of the eastern Mediterranean, after an election centered mainly on the fight against inflation and corruption.

© YIANNIS KOURTOGLOU / REUTERS

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The former head of Cypriot diplomacy won the presidential election on Sunday February 12 in the divided island of the eastern Mediterranean, after a ballot centered mainly on the fight against inflation and corruption. 

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At the age of 49, Nikos Christodoulides, supported by center parties, is the youngest head of state ever elected to lead Cyprus.

He won 51.92% (204,680 votes), ahead of his rival Andreas Mavroyiannis, credited with 48.08%, according to the government's electoral service.

The participation rate was 72.2%.

In a statement to the press, the latter conceded defeat, congratulating his opponent.

"

," he said.

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Nikos Christodoulides succeeds conservative Nicos Anastasiades, 76, who is completing two five-year terms.

The election had been presented as close.

Nikos Christodoulides came first in the first round, on February 5, with 32.04% of the vote, ahead of Andreas Mavroyiannis (29.59%).

It was thus two former diplomats who found themselves face to face in the second round.

The first was Minister of Foreign Affairs between 2018 and 2022, while the second had been ambassador to France and Ireland.

Reunification, corruption and immigration

The new president will have to tackle the problem of inflation, a subject that dominated debates during the campaign.

Rising energy and food prices remain top of mind for Cypriots.

Inflation reached 10.9% in 2022, before slowing in January to 7.1%.

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The new head of state will also be called upon to relaunch talks on the reunification of the island, which have been on hold since 2017. Cyprus has been divided since Turkey's invasion in 1974 of its northern third, in response to a coup d'etat by Cypriot-Greek nationalists who wanted to attach the country to Greece.

The fight against corruption also dominated the electoral debate, especially after the

.

This program of granting passports against investments on the island had to be canceled due to allegations of corruption.

Another sensitive subject on this island close to the coasts of the Middle East and Turkey: the influx of migrants, for which the two candidates had promised to act.

Authorities say 6% of the 915,000 people living in the south of the island are asylum seekers.

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(

AFP)

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