Cyprus-Forum.com

[cannedmoose]

I know it's a bit soon to be 'looking forward' to these, but I'm interested in your perspectives on it, plus given the recent UK elections, I'm still in election mode!

It'll be the first big election (unless you count the European Parliamentary elections) since the rejection of the Annan Plan, which resulted in a split in DHSY - with the creation of Gia Thn Evropi who won an EP seat at the expense of EDEK.

How do you see these elections playing out, assuming there isn't a solution by then? Do you think the pro-AP parties will suffer, or will there be a backlash against the anti-parties in the absence of a 'European solution'?

Given the significant decrease in AKEL's vote in the EP elections (not sure if this was due to low turnout yet, does anyone know?), do you think this will be similarly represented in the national elections, or will business resume as per normal with 1/3 of the electorate voting religiously (if that isn't an oxymoron) for AKEL? Or, do you think dissatisfied AKELites will look to EDEK or ADISOK instead?

Do you think Gia Thn Evropi will continue to steal votes from DHSY or was the vote for them in the EP's simply a momentary protest? Do you think that dissatisfied DHSY voters might turn to DHKO instead as representing their objectionist stance?

Do you see any of the 'fringe' parties rallying, such as the Greens?

Those interested in Cypriot politics... Crystal balls out folks...

[Piratis]

AKEL will come first for sure, but I hope its power will be less than last elections.

I believe DIKO will have the biggest gains.

Personally I am pissed that the big parties want to increase the threshold for a seat in the parliament and this is why I will vote for a small party this time.

[Piratis]

By the way, no party will gain the majority of the seats. This never happened as far as I remember. Majority in parliament is not required since we have a presidential system.

[cannedmoose]

Thanks Piratis, I agree with you on both counts. The Cypriot system has always puzzled me since it is so imbalanced and effectively the House of Representatives appears to function as a rubber-stamp institution. Am I wrong in thinking this? What are they considering increasing the threshold to? It's currently 1.8% isn't it?

What do you think will happen to the DHSY vote this time around, especially with the new party (if it holds together that long) formed by the European Democrats and New Horizons? Personally I think DHSY are going to see quite a significant drop which will definitely be something new in Cypriot politics and would mean that AKEL would certainly be in secure territory in gaining power. Any suggestions that they might decide to drop TPap for the next Presidentials and run an AKEL candidate?

[sk]

i used to vote for DHSY but not any more......what i dont like about it is anastasiades.....i cant stand him......i dont like the way he talks neither the way he attacks the goverment....he is not a diplomat.......anastasiades is like shirac of france with the eu constitution...they both ignored their voters.....actually i dont really pay that much attention to they way the political parties handle the cyprus problem anymore......i pay attention to domestic politics and the economy.....in which papadopoulos is doing ok for my standards.....hopefully he will correct the economy (not necessarily to join the euro) and cyprus will get another economical boost......
what i disagree with all the parties is that they pay too much attention on tourism rather than trying to develop other sectors of the economy...
most probably i will vote for diko.....the new party "new europe"or whatever they call it,it failed it impress me...

[Piratis]

What are they considering increasing the threshold to? It's currently 1.8% isn't it?

I think now is 1/56th (we have 56 parliament members) which is a bit bellow 1.8%. I think now they want to increase it to something between 3% and 5%!!

I believe this is a very undemocratic move, especially in Cyprus that we have a presidential democracy and there is no need to have majority party in the parliament.

Personally I think DHSY are going to see quite a significant drop which will definitely be something new in Cypriot politics and would mean that AKEL would certainly be in secure territory in gaining power.

I think both DISY and AKEL will drop, but DISY will drop more. I think DISI will get around 30% and AKEL around 32%. However this will also depend on the amount they will increase the threshold to. If they increase it more than 3% then then I am afraid the big parties will gain a lot due to the "lost vote" syndrome.

Any suggestions that they might decide to drop TPap for the next Presidentials and run an AKEL candidate?

I don't know what kind of agreements they made with Papadopoulos, but I doubt AKEL will risk to go with a party member as a candidate. This would scare the right wing sides of DIKO and EDEK and DISY could then win the elections if the choose the right candidate from the center. However if the agreement is that AKEL will now choose who the candidate of the alliance would be, then maybe AKEL will choose a non AKEL member, like they did with Vasiliou. That could work if the 3 parties remain united. (and I am sure that after what Anastasiades did to EDEK last time they will be much more careful next time)

[sk]

now with the eu ,AKEL will never go to elections with its own candidate and win.......they will prefer to have the majority of ministries and run the country from behind closed doors than directly with their own president......this is what i would have done if i was in their place.....anyway if akels percentage remains more or less constant and diko increases then definately they will have a common canditate for the presidential elections....

[Anti-Grk]

E.O.K.A...E.O.K.A.....

[cannedmoose]

E.O.K.A...E.O.K.A.....

Get out of my thread you sad little person...

[snchduer]

Hello everyone!

I wanted to ask - not being a Cypriot myself - which of the parties you would tag as pro-solutionist, and whether or not there is a chance that there is a pro-solutionist majority after the next elections...