Christodoulides leads presidential polls

Voter interest in the Presidential elections is picking up, with Nikos Christodoulides maintaining a clear command, according to a CyBC poll.

DIKO-backed Christodoulides, although losing ground, is still eight percentage points ahead of ruling DISY leader Averof Neophytou who is head-to-head with opposition AKEL-supported Andreas Mavroyiannis.

According to the poll, the percentage of people saying they will cast their vote rose to 85% from 81% in November and 84% in October, indicating a strong turnout.

Two-thirds of voters appear confident about who they will be casting their vote for, unchanged since November.

And 23% said they were still uncertain, while 11% offered no opinion.

Asked when they had decided whom to vote for, 50% said ‘well before the elections’, 18% ‘a few weeks before the election’, and 11% had recently made their minds up ‘a few days before’.

Last moment

Some 10% said they would decide ‘at the last moment, possibly on election day’.

And 11% said they would not cast a vote, so 68% have already decided what they will do on the ballot.

Christodoulides maintains a comfortable lead of 29.5% ahead of second Averof Neophytou with 21.5% and Mavroyiannis with 20.5%.

Asked which candidate they think is likeliest to make it to the second round, 75% said Christodoulides, 64% picked Neophytou, and 43% said Mavroyiannis.

Moving to second-round scenarios, in the event Christodoulides faces Neophytou, Christodoulides takes the win with 42.5% to 28.5%.

In this scenario, Christodoulides’ numbers dropped just one percentage point since November, whereas Neophytou gained 4.5%.

If Mavroyiannis goes to a run-off with Christodoulides, the former will get 27% and 45.5%.

A Neophytou versus Mavroyiannis contest would be close, with the DISY leader leading from 34.5% to 33%.

Asked who they think will become the next president, regardless of personal preference, exactly half of the respondents said Christodoulides.

Only 27% thought Neophytou would be elected, and Mavroyiannis had a 9% chance.