MARIOS KAROYIAN has been elected leader of ruling DIKO in a landslide victory, ousting the party’s acting chairman Nicos Cleanthous.
A young politician by Cyprus standards, the 45-year-old Karoyian had campaigned on the promise of reviving the centrist party, which many felt had become bogged down in sterile rhetoric.
“The result has given us a strong mandate,” a pleased but measured Karoyian said in his victory speech late on Sunday.
“Today, it is democracy that has triumphed – there are no winners or losers.”
Observers said the comments were geared at maintaining as broad a support as possible inside the party, which Karoyian will need if his captaincy will have smooth sailing.
Political analyst Louis Igoumenides explained: “He hasn’t yet formed a faction inside the party. Hence the only way to go, for now, is to extend an open invitation to everyone –strength in numbers.”
For his part, defeated Cleanthous was visibly emotional as he congratulated Karoyian on his election.
Fighting back tears, he said he would monitor developments closely to ensure the party “does not go astray”.
Karoyian garnered 62.6 per cent of the votes, with Cleanthous getting just 37.4 per cent. Although opinion polls had predicted a victory for the younger politician, almost no one had anticipated such a wide margin.
“It’s obvious that he [Karoyian] had the blessing of Tassos Papadopoulos, who is still calling the shots from the sidelines. Without it, no one – no matter how popular – would have been able to get elected,” Igoumenides told the Mail.
“But make no mistake: Karoyian is a very able politician,” he added.
Cleanthous’ demise may also have been brought about by his close ties to AKEL leaders. In fact, detractors have often tagged him a “closet communist”.
Papadopoulos would not like to be too dependent on AKEL when he will most likely seek re-election as President in 2008.
Other than that, Karoyian is seen as representing a new generation and breed of politician, free from the political baggage of the past. And he has promised ordinary party members more inclusion in decision-making.
“Many inside DIKO were growing tired of the hackneyed vocabulary. Take Nicos Pittokopitis, who failed to get re-elected to parliament. Or [deputy] Zacharias Koullias who is slowly withdrawing from the limelight. There’s been a mood shift, no doubt about it,” said Igoumenides.
Others believe that, by endorsing Karoyian, Papadopoulos is paving the way for his own son, Nicholas. DIKO is said to be divided into two cliques – those backing Papadopoulos and those supporting the party’s founder Spyros Kyprianou. The advent to power of Karoyian – who is almost certain to run again in 2009 – will effectively block any leadership aspirations that Marcos Kyprianou – son of the late founder – might have.
Karoyian studied Political Science in Italy. In 1988 he became a member of DIKO’s Central Committee and in 1997 joined the Executive Bureau, the top decision-making body. From 1991 to 2001 he had served as the manager of the office of the House Speaker. He was appointed presidential spokesman under the administration of Tassos Papadopoulos, a post he held until January of this year. He was elected to parliament last May.
