Voting for the presidency of Cyprus begins with three leaders

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cypriots began voting Sunday for their eighth president in the ethnically divided island’s 63-year history as an independent republic, with the three leaders positioning themselves as the safest bet to lead the country through turbulent economic times. and seek peace with the breakaway Turkish Cypriots.

Opinion polls show that none of the three – all of whom were close associates of outgoing President Nikos Anastasiades – will garner more than half of the votes, which is the bar for an outright victory in the first round. Instead, the top two will likely advance to the second round in a week. About 561,000 citizens have the right to vote.

Averof Neophytou, 61, who took over the leadership of the country’s largest Democratic Union party from Anastasiadis, relied on his message as a seasoned insider and firmest hand to ensure stability in times of economic uncertainty.

Career diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis, 66, who served under Anastasiades as his chief peace negotiator with the Turkish Cypriots, addressed voters dissatisfied with Anastasiades’ decade of rule, especially members of the communist party AKEL, which backs his candidacy.

Nikos Christodoulides, 49, a former government spokesman and foreign minister who consistently topped all opinion polls throughout the months-long campaign, is running as a candidate who can overcome party affiliations and ideological divisions to unite a fractured electorate.

Opinion polls consistently show that Christodoulides will advance to the second round against Mavroyiannis or Neophytou.

Cypriots expect the new president to quickly support an economy hurt by Russia’s war in Ukraine and its direct impact on the cost of living.

Migration has also been a hot issue amid the ongoing massive influx of migrants that has made Cyprus one of the top EU countries in per capita asylum applications.

Exploiting Cyprus’ offshore natural gas fields amid the energy crisis and returning to the negotiating table with the breakaway Turkish Cypriots to resolve the island’s ethnic divide are also priorities.

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