Christodoulides delays 2028 decision as DISY, AKEL finish internal races

Politics electionsNikos ChristodoulidesTop News Christodoulides delays 2028 decision as DISY, AKEL finish internal races Proedriko Nicos Proedros 1536x1024 Relevant News Christodoulides delays 2028 decision as DISY, AKEL finish internal races 14 September 2026 Famagusta slashes water losses from 47.2% to 34% 14 September 2026 Parliament debate on curbing anti-poaching activists divides MPs 14 September 2026 Frixos Dalitis 14 September 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Nikos Christodoulides is holding off announcing his decision on the 2028 presidential election until 2027, most likely after internal processes at DISY, and possibly AKEL, are complete. Those processes are expected to conclude by spring at the latest, possibly sooner for DISY. Although the announcement is still some way off, his recent moves are those of someone who has already decided to run: a strategy aimed at the presidential election and a second term appears to already be unfolding. “I’m a DISY supporter” – what the polls show In an interview with Plus, due to air tonight, Christodoulides says, according to the interview’s own promotional teaser: “I was and am a DISY supporter.” This as a deliberate line aimed at DISY voters specifically, the audience Christodoulides is investing in for this campaign and the momentum he wants to build from it. An IMR poll of DISY members put Christodoulides’s support at 25%, or one in four members. Separately, and less firmly sourced, reports say another poll, commissioned for the Presidential Palace, found that 34% of DISY voters more broadly, not just party members, say they would vote for him. This appears to hold at a stable share relative to DISY’s own result in the last parliamentary election, meaning that roughly a third of the party’s 27% could vote for Christodoulides in 2028 rather than for DISY’s own candidate. On that reading, sustaining this foothold serves two purposes for him: building momentum for his own bid, and drawing support away from a prospective DISY rival’s own prospects. DIKO’s statements, and ELAM Discussion around DIKO’s position on the presidential election was intense last week. Nicolas Papadopoulos pointed to internal procedures and the fact the party has not yet made its decisions, while Christiana Erotokritou again raised the possibility of DIKO backing its own candidate. Health Minister and DIKO deputy leader Neofytos Charalambides then said the party already has both a President and a candidate. There is no sign of concern in government circles over this. DIKO’s strong presence in the Cabinet since the last reshuffle has effectively secured the party’s backing for Christodoulides’s 2028 bid. What stands out more is the strengthening relationship between the Presidential Palace and ELAM. Zafiro Katanou was appointed to the board of the Youth Organisation, and ELAM MP Marios Pelekanos wrote to House President Annita Dimitriou requesting a parliamentary investigation into the leak of a document concerning the purchase of a new armoured presidential limousine. A friendlier tone can be observed in ELAM’s recent statements toward the government, including a tendency to highlight government achievements, with criticism of the government almost entirely absent. The piece suggests this pattern may be indicative of ELAM’s intentions for the presidential race. DIPA, with Vasilis Palmas and Marinos Moushouttas in the Cabinet, remains largely aligned with Christodoulides, while EDEK’s new leadership does not appear to be prioritising an exit from the government coalition. Taken together, this base of support, a significant share of DISY voters, and ELAM’s apparent behind-the-scenes backing as putting Christodoulides in a strong position heading toward a bid for a second term. Announcements and messages Christodoulides is now drawing on the strengths of his record in government. The last Cabinet reshuffle was the final move before the Presidential Palace’s communications strategy began to unfold. On Sunday, September 13, he released another recorded video message, this time on two housing schemes the Interior Minister had announced in the preceding days. It was the second consecutive Sunday on which Christodoulides addressed citizens by recorded video about government social benefits. On Sunday, September 6, he had covered new child benefit eligibility criteria that expand the pool of recipients, following earlier announcements on projects for mountainous areas, with further such projects expected soon. In his September 13 message, Christodoulides said: “With two new Housing Schemes we offer additional opportunities to our young people and prove in practice that housing is one of the most important priorities for our Government. The first scheme allows a family to make use of its own family property to build additional housing for children or grandchildren. In simple terms, a family can use the home it already owns to build an extra dwelling. That means it can add a new floor, extend the existing home, or make use of free space on its plot. This option is available even where the permitted building coefficient has already been used up. Our second scheme provides for the use of state land for the benefit of young families. Specifically, we are making state plots available at just 25% of their value. As a first step, 570 plots are being made available across all districts, with further subdivisions to follow. For a young family, this clearly means a lower cost for acquiring land, and clearly more scope to go ahead with building their own home.” He also noted that more than ten housing schemes have been planned, launched or are being implemented during his time in office. He closed his message: “We are changing Cyprus, offering substantive solutions and proving in practice that, for our Government, a home means security, stability, and the chance for a person, for a family, to plan their future with security, stability and prospects.” €3.5 billion in projects and a stronger Defence The government’s main aim at this point, and through to the end of the term, is to ensure its record reaches the public, particularly the section of the electorate that judges politically on measurable outcomes and completed projects. Strong economic indicators are allowing the government to proceed with social benefits, a trend expected to intensify and escalate as the presidential election approaches. According to Phileleftheros’s own information, the 2027 state budget is expected to include a significantly increased Defence budget. Strengthening Defence is one of the pillars of Christodoulides’s time in office, one in which he has invested and which, in assessment, appears to have positive public reception. A second point of reference is the announcement of major development projects worth €3.5 billion, covering the whole of Cyprus, to be decided by the Cabinet in early 2027. €2.5 billion of that total will come from European funds. Phileleftheros expects these project announcements, together with other measures aimed at raising citizens’ incomes through benefit policies, social policies, or the changes that come with completing pension reform, to be among the points that President Christodoulides and his ministers put forward in the period ahead. 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