Behind-the-scenes battle for Cyprus presidential election begins immediately after Guterres visit

Immediately after the completion of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s visit, the political life of the Republic of Cyprus once again shifted towards preparations for the presidential election. According to two separate confidential opinion polls, the battle for the country’s highest office has already effectively begun.

According to the poll results, incumbent President Nikos Christodoulides remains one of the leading favourites in the race, maintaining a high level of support, including among some DISY voters.

At the same time, DISY leader Annita Demetriou is considered the strongest potential candidate from the party. In the first round, she is running virtually neck and neck with Christodoulides — different surveys show a minimal lead for one candidate or the other.

Former DISY leader Averof Neophytou has also significantly strengthened his position compared with the 2023 election. He is now targeting not only voters from his own party, but also supporters of a settlement to the Cyprus issue, seeking to attract a broader electorate.

The left-wing AKEL party, despite not having a final candidate, remains one of the key players in the campaign. According to the confidential surveys, any candidate supported by the party is virtually guaranteed to reach the second round. In the scenarios modelled, former Cyprus settlement negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis even narrowly leads both Christodoulides and Demetriou.

The polls also show that ELAM has not yet decided whether to put forward its own candidate. Disputes are continuing within the party: some believe participation is necessary to strengthen its political position, while others fear losing part of its support because of tactical voting.

Experts note that the coming months will be accompanied by the publication of new opinion polls, which could become one of the main tools of political struggle ahead of the presidential election in the Republic of Cyprus.