Cyprus-Forum.com

[joe]

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/ ... idates.php

NICOSIA, Cyprus: Cyprus' presidential election on Sunday pits incumbent Tassos Papadopoulos against two main rivals: former Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and communist party leader Demetris Christofias.

_Tassos Papadopoulos, 74. A British-trained lawyer, Papadopoulos became the youngest minister of Cyprus' first post-independence government in 1960 at the age of 26. He was the chief Greek Cypriot negotiator in talks with Turkish Cypriots after the 1974 Turkish invasion.

Papadopoulos was elected leader of the center-right Democratic Party in 2000, and forged an alliance with the communist AKEL party to become president in 2003. He spearheaded the Greek Cypriot rejection of a U.N.-backed reunification plan, arguing it was heavily weighed in Turkey's favor. He parted ways with AKEL over his handling of reunification efforts.

Papadopoulos strongly opposes the revival of the defunct U.N. plan as the basis for new reunification talks.

_Ioannis Kasoulides, 59. A geriatrics doctor by trade, Kasoulides is a leading member of the right-wing DISY party. He was first elected to parliament in 1991, and two years later was appointed government spokesman in the first of two administrations by then DISY president Glafcos Clerides.

He held the post of foreign minister from 1997-2003. In that post, Kasoulides helped steer Cyprus toward European Union membership, although he didn't hold the post when the island joined in May 2004. He was elected to the European Parliament in June 2004.

Kasoulides voted in favor of the U.N.-backed reunification plan in a referendum on the eve of the island's EU accession. Three-quarters of Greek Cypriots voted against the plan and Kasoulides's open support for it has dogged him throughout his campaign.

Kasoulides portrays himself as a modernizer able to restore Greek Cypriot credibility with the EU and restart stalled reunification talks.

_Demetris Christofias, 61. Christofias, who holds a Ph.D. in history from the Soviet Union's Academy of Social Science, heads the communist AKEL party. He joined the party at the age of 14 and was elected to its leadership 28 years later, in 1988.

Christofias' candidacy was prompted after AKEL ended its partnership with President Tassos Papadopoulos over his handing of Cyprus' reunification efforts.

Christofias has been trying hard to fend off criticism from rivals of being a Euro-skeptic, while his party has tried to allay concerns that if elected, his presidency would usher in communist-inspired policies.

Christofias claims to be more adept than his two rivals at reaching out to Turkish Cypriots thanks to his long-held ties with the Turkish Cypriot trade union movement.

[Oracle]

Clearly the only one qualified to continue to lead the country is Papadopoulos ... at least he is trained to read and translate Laws and has endless experience.

Kasoulides as a doctor should forget politics ... Dr David Owen in the UK was a wash out ... medicine and politics do not mix

As for Christofias, he does not sound like he has any life-experiences outside of politics ... and Ph.D's in wishy-washy subjects hold no sway

[paliometoxo]

Kasoulides who voted yes for annan how could he even be considerd for president?

[zan]

Clearly the only one qualified to continue to lead the country is Papadopoulos ... at least he is trained to read and translate Laws and has endless experience.

Kasoulides as a doctor should forget politics ... Dr David Owen in the UK was a wash out ... medicine and politics do not mix

As for Christofias, he does not sound like he has any life-experiences outside of politics ... and Ph.D's in wishy-washy subjects hold no sway

Does TpaP KNOW YOU ARE WORKING AGAINST HIM???

[Oracle]

Clearly the only one qualified to continue to lead the country is Papadopoulos ... at least he is trained to read and translate Laws and has endless experience.

Kasoulides as a doctor should forget politics ... Dr David Owen in the UK was a wash out ... medicine and politics do not mix

As for Christofias, he does not sound like he has any life-experiences outside of politics ... and Ph.D's in wishy-washy subjects hold no sway

Does TpaP KNOW YOU ARE WORKING AGAINST HIM???

Well you are working for him .... ... many-fold ..... I can just put my feet up

[zan]

Clearly the only one qualified to continue to lead the country is Papadopoulos ... at least he is trained to read and translate Laws and has endless experience.

Kasoulides as a doctor should forget politics ... Dr David Owen in the UK was a wash out ... medicine and politics do not mix

As for Christofias, he does not sound like he has any life-experiences outside of politics ... and Ph.D's in wishy-washy subjects hold no sway

Does TpaP KNOW YOU ARE WORKING AGAINST HIM???

Well you are working for him .... ... many-fold ..... I can just put my feet up

I might actually want him to win...According to some here!!!!Putting your feet up at your age isn't supposed to be good for you.....

[Talisker]

'Scuse my ignorance but how does the voting system work? Votes cast for the many candidates tomorrow, then is it a case of a second election vote a week later for the top two from the first vote? Or is there some horsetrading going on from tomorrow's losing candidates as to whom 'their' votes go in a second count of the votes (for only the top two candidates) cast tomorrow?

If it is the first option, presumably all those voters who have flown into the country for tomorrow's vote will have to hang around for a week, or fly out and back again, to vote in the second round?

[Piratis]

'Scuse my ignorance but how does the voting system work? Votes cast for the many candidates tomorrow, then is it a case of a second election vote a week later for the top two from the first vote? Or is there some horsetrading going on from tomorrow's losing candidates as to whom 'their' votes go in a second count of the votes (for only the top two candidates) cast tomorrow?

If it is the first option, presumably all those voters who have flown into the country for tomorrow's vote will have to hang around for a week, or fly out and back again, to vote in the second round?

It is the first.

If nobody secures 50%+1 vote in the first round then there is a second round with those 2 that got the most votes in the first round. The system we have here is very direct.

[Talisker]

'Scuse my ignorance but how does the voting system work? Votes cast for the many candidates tomorrow, then is it a case of a second election vote a week later for the top two from the first vote? Or is there some horsetrading going on from tomorrow's losing candidates as to whom 'their' votes go in a second count of the votes (for only the top two candidates) cast tomorrow?

If it is the first option, presumably all those voters who have flown into the country for tomorrow's vote will have to hang around for a week, or fly out and back again, to vote in the second round?

It is the first.

If nobody secures 50%+1 vote in the first round then there is a second round with those 2 that got the most votes in the first round. The system we have here is very direct.

Thanks for the answer to my question Piratis. Be interesting to see how the electorate vote.
Regards,
Talisker