Christodoulides and DIKO reset as Mavroyiannis, Kenevezos eye presidency

Politics elections Christodoulides and DIKO reset as Mavroyiannis, Kenevezos eye presidency Christodoulides And Diko Reset As Mavroyiannis, Kenevezos Eye Presidency Relevant News Christodoulides and DIKO reset as Mavroyiannis, Kenevezos eye presidency 16 September 2026 18 civil society groups tell parliament activism is not a ‘phenomenon’ over poaching row 16 September 2026 Audit Office finds bodies stored for 1,040 days at Paphos hospital mortuary 16 September 2026 Frixos Dalitis 16 September 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cyprus’s political scene is heating up as the early stages of a long presidential election campaign get under way, with initial signs pointing to a fragmented field and a fluid picture with multiple candidates. Several would-be contenders also appear to be trying to get ahead of their parties’ own decisions and shape developments themselves. Christodoulides and DIKO signal closer ties President Nikos Christodoulides has not announced his decisions, and DIKO’s official line remains that decisions are taken collectively within the party’s own bodies. However, the two sides’ latest meeting, held on Monday afternoon, effectively marked an informal turning of the page in their relationship, with no complaints raised over the recent reshuffle, no criticism of the GSI, and no grumbling about a lack of coordination. A person present at the meeting described it as a calm political discussion, of the kind that should characterise meetings between a president and the party backing his government. The main takeaway from the meeting is that both sides are seeking to open a new chapter in their relationship, aiming for closer cooperation and better coordination, particularly given what is expected to be a difficult parliamentary environment as a pre-election climate gradually takes hold ahead of the presidential vote. According to both party and government sources, the meeting took place in a very positive atmosphere, with both sides moving to implement what had previously been agreed: establishing regular meetings between DIKO’s parliamentary delegation and the government, as well as with the President himself, and setting up a communication team for better coordination on both current affairs and policy matters. Key priorities include pushing forward pension reform, as well as changes to Public Service recruitment procedures and cross-departmental promotions. Mavroyiannis moves early Andreas Mavroyiannis is entering the race with momentum, confirming on ALPHA’s midday programme on Tuesday reports first published by philenews the previous week that he intends to announce his decision before the end of the year, ahead of AKEL completing its own internal process. He said AKEL’s own process would run until around March, and that his own idea, if agreed with his associates, would be to announce earlier — not to pressure AKEL, but to convey that people will do what they think is right, which does not mean he himself has to wait. He repeated that he recently had lunch with Stefanos Stefanou, and acknowledged that he had met Averof Neophytou once or twice, describing their discussions as friendly rather than about “scenarios.” He said Neophytou would be an excellent opponent. Kenevezos in the mix The name of Kyriakos Kenevezos entered the presidential speculation on Tuesday. The former Education Minister and former Ambassador to Athens told philenews, when asked to comment on a Reporter report naming him as a possible presidential candidate, that Cyprus needs a political proposal and that the centre ground needs to rediscover its own, adding that time would tell on everything else. Asked directly by phone whether he is genuinely interested in standing as a presidential candidate, Kenevezos neither confirmed nor ruled out the possibility, leaving the option open. His remark about the need for a political proposal from the centre suggests he has been giving the matter political thought. He said a balanced political landscape cannot exist without a strong, substantive centre. Efstathiou stays with EDEK Former EDEK MP Kostis Efstathiou said on CyBC radio on Tuesday that he welcomed the new party leader’s decision to lift all expulsions unconditionally, saying he believed this was something she had a duty to do after her election, and that she had done it. He said he is not returning to EDEK, since returning somewhere requires having first left, which he said was not the case for him. What was decided, he said, was the lifting of past expulsions, meaning they would effectively be treated as though they had never happened. He also left open the possibility of further involvement, including seeking a party position after EDEK’s electoral congress. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News 18 civil society groups tell parliament activism is not a ‘phenomenon’ over poaching row Audit Office finds bodies stored for 1,040 days at Paphos hospital mortuary Hourly-paid state workers suspend Thursday strike after president talks Culture ministry staff walk out, citing hostile work environment (photos) “Sandy case”: Drousiotis, Kyriakou referred to December criminal trial ‘Black van’: Anti-Corruption Authority’s account leaves AG’s version exposed BirdLife, CABS shut out as parliament debates poaching, targeting activists Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.