Alma admits disappointment with underwhelming election result

Alma acknowledged on Monday that its entry into parliament fell short of expectations, while insisting the result still marked a significant political breakthrough for the movement after securing four seats in its first ever election campaign.

In a statement issued after Sunday’s parliamentary elections, the party said its “leap into parliament was not as big as we had hoped, but it was not insignificant”, describing the result as a strong foundation for its future political presence.

The movement, founded by former auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides, won four seats and 5.8 per cent of the vote, entering parliament alongside Fidias Panayiotou’s Direct Democracy of Cyprus as one of two new political forces represented in the House.

Alma said it would position itself as “the voice of the responsible opposition” while supporting “open-minded consensus where needed” and promoting reforms focused on “transparency and accountability”.

The statement came after an election that largely preserved the dominance of Cyprus’ established parties despite months of speculation over major political upheaval.

Disy retained its 17 seats, while Akel held onto 15 seats. Elam emerged as the third-largest parliamentary force after doubling its representation from four seats to eight.

Alma’s leadership nevertheless framed the result as a successful first electoral test for a movement created only last year following Michaelides’ removal from office by the Supreme Court.

“We are proud that, out of nowhere, we gained decent parliamentary representation,” the party said, adding that it intended to honour “the 21,968 citizens who voted for us and expect the best from us”.

“In the near future, we will self-critically evaluate the election result,” the statement said, adding that the movement aimed to “spread roots in society”.

The comments followed remarks by Michaelides shortly before the election result, when he predicted voters would unleash “the wrath of God” upon the political establishment.

Alma’s entry into parliament coincided with significant losses for several smaller established parties.

Edek failed to secure parliamentary representation for the first time in its history, while the Ecologists also lost all seats.

المصدر: Cyprus Mail