Eleven women elected to new Cyprus parliament

Eleven women on Sunday secured seats in Cyprus’ new House of Representatives, marking the highest level of female parliamentary representation in the country’s history, though women still account for less than one fifth of MPs.

Women claim 19.6 per cent of the 56 seats, up from eight MPs, or 14.3 per cent, in the previous parliament elected in 2021. This number has fluctuated since 1960 with the highest it has ever been at 12 women in 2020.

Cyprus also recorded the lowest share of women in national parliament across the EU in 2025, far below the EU average of 33.6 per cent. This year’s election saw a larger female presence among candidates overall, with 224 women contesting seats, 29.7 per cent of all candidates, compared with 160 women, or 24.3 per cent, in 2021.

Of the eight women elected in 2021 who sought re-election, six retained their seats.

They are House president Annita Demetriou of Disy in Larnaca, Fotini Tsiridou of Disy in Limassol, Marina Nicolaou of Akel in Limassol, Savia Orphanidou of Disy in Nicosia, Christiana Erotokritou of Diko in Nicosia, and Irene Charalambides of Alma in Nicosia.

Five women will be entering parliament for the first time. Akel secured two new female MPs with Argentoula Ioannou in Limassol and Anastasia Hasikou in Kyrenia, while Alma’s Theodoulitsa Drousiotou was elected in Famagusta.

Diana Constantinidi also won a seat in Famagusta with Direct Democracy.

A symbolic first was also recorded in Paphos, where Nicoletta Constantinou of Disy was the first woman elected in the district.

The increase in female representation was also reflected in preference votes.

Excluding Demetriou, who as Disy leader headed the party’s Larnaca ballot and was not subject to preference voting, Orphanidou emerged as the top-performing female candidate with 11,367 votes in Nicosia.

She was followed by Tsiridou with 6,956 votes in Limassol, while Charalambidou received 5,938 votes and Erotokritou 5,844 in Nicosia.

Outgoing Disy MP Rita Superman lost out internally in Kyrenia, finishing behind party colleague Dimos Georgiades by 239 votes, while former Volt MP Alexandra Attalides failed to return after her party did not secure parliamentary representation despite her personal vote tally.

المصدر: Cyprus Mail