Two big parties in Cyprus increase share of the vote

– Ecologist Movement: election results have not met expectations

The main opposition party, the right wing Democratic Rally (DISY), topped the polls in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, gaining 138,614 votes and a comfortable lead of 34.27% against the ruling left wing AKEL party, which rallied in second position with 132,163 votes and 32.67%.

Both parties have increased their share of the vote, compared with the corresponding percentage in the 2006 parliamentary elections.

DISY’s percentage in the 2006 parliamentary elections was 30.52%, gaining 3.75% in today’s poll. In the same poll in 2006, AKEL got 31.31% share of the vote, registering 1.36 in today’s poll.

The biggest upset of the night was the number of abstentions, reaching 113,282 or 21.32%, an unprecedented development in parliamentary elections.

A total of 418,181 ballots were counted, 404,518 were valid, 8,693 invalid and 4,970 were blank.

The government coalition partner, the Democratic Party (DIKO), from 17.98% share of the vote in 2006 lost a 2.22%, reaching 15.77% or 63,783 votes while EDEK Movement of Social Democrats maintained its percentages with 36,119 votes or 8.93% a slight drop of 0.03%.

The European Party secured (EVROKO) 15,712 votes or 3.88%, reducing the percentage it achieved in the 2006 elections by -1.90%.

The Green Party garnered 8,954 votes, increasing its share of the vote from 1.96% in the 2006 poll to 2.21%.

The newly founded National People’s Front (ELAM) secured 4,350 votes or 1.08% while the Office of Citizen Rights (LASOK) rallied behind with 2,668 votes and a 0.66% percent, going up by 0.42%.

The Independent Citizens Movement Balance (ZYGOS) got 858 votes (0.21%), while the Cypriot Progressive Cooperation (KY.PRO.S) 709 0.18%. Independent candidates Kyriakos (Kostas) Outopos 235 0.06%, Andreas Efstratiou 213 (0.05%), Konstantinos Neofytos 45 (0.01%) Stavrou Pampos. 39 0.01%, Pierides Antonis. 36 0.01% and Stavrou Loukas 20 0.00%.

DISY

Democratic Rally (DISY) President Nicos Anastasiades has said that citizens have sent, with their vote, a message to the government for the need to change its policy.

The main opposition party, the right wing Democratic Rally (DISY), topped the polls in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, gaining 138,614 votes and a comfortable lead of 34.27% against the ruling left wing AKEL party, which rallied in second position with 132,163 votes and 32.67%.

In statements after the announcement of the results of the parliamentary elections, Anastasiades noted that a new dynamic is created for a new powerful social majority which gives DISY a prominent political role.

He sent a message of unity and collectivity, explaining the rise in DISY’s share of the vote as a victory of his party’s message in favour of unity.

Anastasiades said that “monitoring of the government now becomes more effective”, calling on the government to take the messages.

He added that the Democratic Rally is ready to undertake initiatives and to support every effort towards the right direction.

Anastasiades thanked the citizens who voted for DISY and party members and supporters who have contributed to the election campaign.

Referring to the abstention percentage, he said that all political parties must reflect on it, adding that the message of the abstention is that politicians have to change their stance.

AKEL

General Secretary of the ruling left-wing AKEL party, Andros Kyprianou, has expressed satisfaction with the increased percentage his party has garnered in Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

Commenting on the election result, Kyprianou said that AKEL has increased its power, despite the fact that other ruling parties in Europe lose power.

“Ruling parties in other European countries are losing a large percentage of their strength, but AKEL, not only did it not lose strength, it has succeeded, in difficult times, to increase its electoral strength”, he said.

This, he added, is due to a series of factors, such as AKEL’s responsible and firm policies, as well as the government’s achievements during the past three years.

AKEL, which rallied in second position with 32.67% and increased its strength by 1,36% compared to the 2006 elections, will continue its struggle aiming at creating those necessary preconditions ''in order to lead Cyprus into the future''.

He pledged that AKEL would work to achieve the greatest possible unity among the people and the political parties as regards the economy and the Cyprus problem.

''If we truly want to achieve those conditions that would lead to peace, security, stability, progress and prosperity, we have to work hard for a political solution in Cyprus that would be based on principles within the agreed framework, a solution that would be just, under the circumstances, functional and viable, a solution that would reunify our island and our people'', he went on to say.

Referring to the economy, he said that AKEL would seek the best possible consensus among the political parties in order to adopt measures to address the impact of the world economic crisis.

Expressing concern over increased abstention, which reached 21%, Kyprianou said that this is an issue which will be examined by his party.

''We should turn political parties into examples for society'', he concluded.

DIKO

The Democratic Party (DIKO) has won the battle against those who were undermining it, party leader Marios Garoyian said, adding that DIKO will draft its strategy for a new, modern and prominent centre, with DIKO as the protagonist.
In statements after the results of Sunday’s parliamentary elections, Garoyian expressed gratitude to DIKO voters, adding that the party had to cope with difficult times following the defeat of its late leader Tassos Papadopoulos in the 2008 presidential elections.

“The Democratic Party has not hesitated to take equally difficult decisions and undertake the responsibility of its strategic choices, imposed by its responsibilities towards the country and its people”, Garoyian added.

He said that in a difficult time for the region, the Democratic Party gave precedence to political stability demanded by the severity of the economic situation and the need to create a stable front to avert the dangers and threats to a fair solution of the Cyprus problem.

Garoyian said that during the pre-election campaign, DIKO maintained a “comprehensible strategy, with clear proposals and a responsible insistence on an agenda for the government that will lead the island out of the crisis and safeguard the just solution to the Cyprus issue”.

He said DIKO has won the battle against those who had undermine it and responded to polarization.

Speaking about the day after, Garoyian said that “tomorrow is primarily a day of respect to the people’s verdict and of analysis of the messages sent”.

The people of Cyprus have conveyed the message to the government to correct its course and to the political forces to concentrate on the real problems of the people and the responsibilities towards the Cyprus problem.

DIKO will work hard to shape the conditions towards a just solution to the Cyprus issue and make clear to the government that it will have to adjust in order to meet the expectations of the people of Cyprus, he said.

“We will continue, as a sovereign power of the centre, to map our strategy and regroup a new, united, dynamic, modern centre, with DIKO being the protagonist and a stable aim to secure the country’s freedom and development”, he concluded.

EDEK

Leader of EDEK Movement of Social Democrats Yiannakis Omirou has said that despite “conditions of extreme polarization and great pressure”, EDEK has managed to maintain its share of the vote in Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

EDEK garnered 36,119 votes or 8.93% in today’s poll, recording a slight drop of 0.03% from the 2006 parliamentary elections.

Commenting on the election results at his party’s headquarters in Nicosia, Omirou said EDEK’s choices have been accepted and the party’s consistency has been acknowledged.

“We are now stronger in playing a more decisive role in political and social developments”, said Omirou, adding that with a renewed mandate from the people, the party will continue the struggle in support of its values and principles, to serve the interests of the people, to safeguard the natural and national survival of Greek Hellenism, for a democratic, functional and viable solution of the Cyprus issue, that will be based on European law for a fair economic policy.

He appealed to the political parties to come forward for a dialogue and conveyed a message of unity.

Omirou said the large percentage of abstention was a “pathogenesis for the political system”, noting however that the people should not be blamed for this development.

The number of abstentions reached 113,282 or 21.32%, an unprecedented development in parliamentary elections.

“The responsibility lies with weaknesses of the political system and the ineffectiveness of the political intervention to tackle issues of meritocracy and impunity”, said Omirou.

The stalemate in the Cyprus problem and the economic crisis, with emphasis on unemployment, are also some of the reasons people abstain from today’s poll, he added.

Asked about EDEK’s position on the election of the House President, Omirou said “EDEK will not start behind the scenes trading”, adding the party’s collective institutions will decide the next step.

Omirou further said he considers a success the fact that EDEK’s percentages have remained stable and it continues to be considered a quantifiable power, in Parliament and outside Parliament. “The party will continue to play a decisive role in national, political, economic and social developments” on the island, he added.

He further said that EDEK will increase its political intervention, noting that the dangers concerning the Cyprus issue “remain great».

Ecologist Movement

Environmentalists Ecologists Movement General Secretary Ioanna Panagiotiou has said that the percentage which her party secured in Sunday’s parliamentary elections has not met their expectations.

The optimistic message of the elections, she added, is that the party will continue to be present in Parliament with one deputy.

She also noted that the party will continue to be represented at the National Council, the top advisory body to the President of the Republic on the handling of the Cyprus issue.

Panagiotou said that the Ecologists will continue their work on issues of their concern, apart from the Cyprus problem, as green development, quality of life and health.