Christodoulides likely to seek re-election in 2028

President Nikos Christodoulides will likely run for re-election in 2028, one of his top aides revealed on Tuesday.

Deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou offered a first glimpse into the incumbent president’s thoughts in the immediate aftermath of the legislative elections.

Speaking on the Sigma channel, and asked about the chatter already underway about the 2028 presidential elections, Antoniou said it “makes sense” for Christodoulides to throw his hat in the race.

Though he could not say for certain if Christodoulides would run again, he opined that it is “likely”.

But he did note the president would decide by the end of the first half of 2027.

Even though speculation has already begun around the 2028 presidential race, Antoniou insisted the result of the recent legislative elections cannot be used as a marker.

It’s still too early to call it, regarding the political alliances that will shape out in 2028. It also depends on which individuals will run for president, the deputy spokesman said.

But he dismissed the notion that the parliamentary elections point to a weakening of Christodoulides’ position – supposedly because of the poor showing by Dipa and Edek, which both had backed Christodoulides in 2023.

Antoniou recalled that, based on the 2021 legislative elections, few had then given Christodoulides a good chance of winning the presidency in 2023.

He went on to call on Disy to clarify whether it will act as an opposition party in parliament up until the 2028 elections.

Antoniou also rejected the idea that the government will have a hard time pushing its agenda through parliament over the next two years.

In the history of the Republic, he noted, very rarely has a president wielded a clear majority in parliament.

Christodoulides is party-less, after getting ejected from the Disy party.

He was booted out of the party on the same day he formally filed his candidacy for president – January 5, 2023.

A longtime Disy member, Christodoulides had served as government spokesperson in the administration of Nicos Anastasiades from 2014 to 2018. From 2018 to 2022 he served as foreign minister.

He resigned his post in January 2022 amid speculation he would run for president in 2023 without Disy’s blessing.

Disy made no secret that they considered this a betrayal.

Running as an independent, Christodoulides went on to garner 51.97 per cent in the 2023 elections, edging out Andreas Mavroyiannis in the runoff.

Christodoulides was at the time endorsed by Diko, Edek, Dipa, Solidarity, the Hunters, and Animal Party Cyprus.

To no small degree, his success owed to his ability to split the Disy vote.

المصدر: Cyprus Mail