The new Cyprus Parliament Speaker election takes place today as the newly formed House of Representatives convenes for its first session following the 24 May parliamentary elections.
The session is scheduled for 4 pm and will begin with the swearing-in of all 56 MPs, as well as representatives of the religious groups.
The sitting marks the first application of a revised procedure for electing the Speaker of the House.
New voting system introduced for first time
Under the updated framework, a candidate must secure at least 29 votes in the first round, representing an absolute majority of all MPs.
If no candidate reaches the threshold, the two leading contenders will advance to a second round, where the candidate with the most votes will be elected.
In the event of a tie, a repeat vote will be held. If equality persists, the Speaker of the House will be chosen by public draw under the supervision of the presiding MP.
Until a new Speaker is elected, the session will be chaired by the oldest MP, unless they are a candidate.
Political contest marks first power test
The Parliament Speaker election is seen as the first real test of the political balance shaped by the recent elections, with attention focused on potential alliances between parties.
AKEL has nominated its General Secretary, Stefanos Stefanou, who is already supported by the “Alma – Citizens for Cyprus” movement, giving him an initial base of 19 votes.
DISY will support the re-election of outgoing Speaker Annita Demetriou, while DIKO is expected to finalise its position at the last moment, with party leader Nikos Papadopoulos considered a possible candidate.
Smaller parties hold balance of power
Attention is now turning to smaller parties, particularly ELAM and Direct Democracy, whose decisions could prove decisive in determining which candidates advance to the second round.
ELAM is expected to field its own candidate in the first round and has ruled out supporting either DISY’s or AKEL’s candidate in a potential run-off.
Direct Democracy has not yet revealed its stance, with final decisions expected shortly before the session begins.
Second round widely expected
Political observers say a second round appears the most likely outcome, as none of the candidates is expected to secure the required 29 votes in the first ballot.
Final results will depend heavily on last-minute party decisions and shifting alliances after the first round of voting.
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