The withdrawal of Annita Demetriou from the race for the nomination for the 2028 presidential elections changes the picture within the Democratic Rally (DISY). It does not, however, resolve the deeper disagreements that have emerged inside the party, nor does it quieten the factional fiefdoms that have raised their banners since the party was founded.
Annita Demetriou will have to prove that she acts independently, without guardians
DISY president and House President Annita Demetriou said she had chosen to put unity above her personal ambition, citing the risk of a new internal split. She did not, however, explain why her candidacy for the nomination would have caused the party so much harm. In any case, her move does not appear to close the cycle of confrontation. On the contrary, it shifts the burden to the day after, and to Pindarou’s ability to shape a commonly accepted path towards the presidential elections.
DISY must answer why it disagrees with Christodoulides and, above all, what different Cyprus it proposes
It will become clear in the coming period whether the DISY leadership, which has bought time, will manage to resolve internal issues and piece the party’s fragments back together, or whether Annita’s withdrawal has simply postponed the confrontation. The question is no longer only who will seek the nomination. It is also on what terms the choice will be made, how binding its outcome will be and, above all, whether DISY will manage to remain united once the process is over. Moreover, what will DISY look like the day after, especially if its candidate fails to reach the second round of the presidential elections, or if it does not elect a President in ‘28?
Salvaging what can be saved
Annita Demetriou’s decision to withdraw is a significant political choice/move. As party president, she faced a dilemma that went beyond her personal ambitions. She could either persist in seeking the nomination, or step aside to limit the risk of a new internal conflict and also to salvage her political future.
She chose the second path, presenting the unity and cohesion of the party as her priorities. The truth is that sticking with her candidacy left the DISY president little room/chance of winning the election. She faced a parallel candidacy by Averof Neofytou, who declared on 27 September 2026 that he would run in 2028, either through the process or outside it, as he clearly implied in his statement. Averof Neofytou’s references to a “fish tavern”, the “innermost circle” and so on dealt a blow to her popularity. That might well have meant fierce challenges to her leadership within the party after the presidential elections, putting at risk both the DISY presidency and her political prospects (the 2033 presidential elections).
Without guardians?
Furthermore, the DISY president’s withdrawal from the battle for the nomination is not a move without political cost. Annita Demetriou will have to prove that she acts independently, without guardians. She must also keep the initiative as party president, even though she is no longer herself a candidate for the highest office of state.
Annita Demetriou has withdrawn from the race for the 2028 presidential nomination, yet open fronts remain within the party.
She will have to ensure that the process that follows undermines neither the authority of the leadership nor the party’s ability to function collectively. At the same time, her withdrawal does not make the earlier questions disappear. On the contrary, it transfers them to the relationships between the contenders, party officials and the grassroots. Unity will not be judged by the announcement of a withdrawal, but by everyone’s conduct from here on.
Averof vs Pamborides
With Annita Demetriou out of the race, Averof Neofytou and Giorgos Pamborides are at the centre of the contest for the nomination. The new circumstances create a different contest. Both candidates will have to prove not only that they can secure the support of the members, but also that they can manage the day after without leaving behind a more deeply divided party.
For Averof Neofytou, taking part in the internal process is an opportunity to reclaim a leading role and to present his own political proposal for the next presidential contest.
For Giorgos Pamborides, the contest offers the chance to put forward a different approach and to seek broader acceptance within the party. It also lets him stake a claim, for example, to a powerful ministry or the Foreign Ministry if his rival is elected President of the Republic. It positions him, too, for the party presidency should he not win the nomination and should things not go well for DISY and Annita Demetriou.
Fair play
The real test, however, will be acceptance of the rules of the game. A democratic process is meaningful when participants commit not only to fighting for victory but also to respecting the result. If the choice of candidate is accepted by all, the Democratic Rally will have the opportunity to turn the internal contest/confrontation into a starting point for rallying together.
DISY needs a process that gives legitimacy to the winner without turning the others into losers with no role
Conversely, if the infighting becomes personal and continues after the ballot, the victory of whichever candidate wins may prove Pyrrhic. This is precisely where the responsibility lies, for both the contenders and the party leadership. They must ensure that internal democracy does not become a mechanism for reproducing division.
The shadow of 2023
The 2023 presidential elections remain a reference point for DISY. That contest left a deep wound in the party. The candidacy of Nikos Christodoulides and the differing stances of officials and voters exposed the party’s internal contradictions/disagreements/rivalries. The trauma of that period largely explains the sensitivity with which the nomination process is being handled today. No one can ignore that a new, prolonged conflict could hamper efforts to rally the party ahead of 2028.
Yet there is a crucial difference between avoiding a split and genuinely addressing its causes. The first can be achieved through temporary concessions and compromises. The second requires an honest discussion about DISY’s political identity, its relations with the Christodoulides government and the kind of alternative the party wants to offer.
Haris Georgiades is considering it, Loukas Fourlas is not interested, and Ionas Nicolaou would like to, but is afraid to count his votes
If DISY confines itself to seeking agreement on the person of the candidate, without discussing the deeper political issues, it will essentially defer the conflict until later. Real unity is not simply the absence of open confrontation, but the ability of different views to coexist within a common political framework.
Identity and role
The search for balance is not confined to the internal process. It is also linked to the role DISY seeks to play in relation to the government of Nikos Christodoulides. The party must maintain a visible opposition stance and present concrete alternatives to society’s problems. It must do so without sliding either into sterile criticism of every government action or into a limp and blurred position, like the current one, which makes it hard for citizens to understand what exactly its political line is.
In this context, the process of selecting a candidate for 2028 can serve either as an opportunity for political renewal or as yet another episode of introspection. The party needs to set out clear positions and say exactly what it proposes on the Cyprus problem, the economy, the welfare state and the functioning of institutions.
Haris, Fourlas, Ionas
Pindarou faces a complex equation. It must safeguard Annita Demetriou’s role in the leadership. It must manage the rivalry between the contenders for the nomination, as well as the personal agendas of senior figures eyeing the party presidency when and if the time comes. It must protect DISY’s cohesion/unity while also shaping a credible strategy for the presidential elections. And it is by no means certain that these goals will go hand in hand. Strengthening one candidate may unsettle another group.
The question the Democratic Rally must answer today is why it disagrees with Christodoulides, a man raised in its own ranks, but, above all, what different Cyprus it proposes.
Some officials are already considering putting forward a third candidacy for the nomination, in an attempt to draw votes away from Averof Neofytou. They would not want to see him emerge from the internal process on 28 November as… patriarch. Ideally, the Presidential Palace would also like to see a pro-Christodoulides DISY member drive a wedge between Neofytou and Pamborides, so that the confrontation continues. The Palace’s plans have been upset, since the civil war within DISY suited it.
As for the names mentioned in recent days, Haris Georgiades is considering it, Loukas Fourlas is not interested, and Ionas Nicolaou would like to but is afraid to count his votes, because he will find them few.
Pindarou seeks balance
The effort to preserve every internal balance may ultimately make it harder to take clear decisions. The party needs a process that gives legitimacy to the winner without turning the others into losers with no role the day after. Annita Demetriou’s withdrawal may become a point of renewal. It may also prove to be only a temporary release of pressure, if the protagonists fail to turn the retreat into an opportunity for understanding.
2028 will be decided both by who wins the Democratic Rally’s nomination today and by whether the party manages to reach the election campaign with a clear identity, a persuasive proposal and genuine unity. Pindarou is seeking balance. The challenge is not to settle for a fragile balance between personalities and internal groups/fiefdoms. The party must instead build a comprehensive political proposal on all the country’s major problems/open issues, along with a new balance between unity, political renewal and the pursuit of power. For the question the Democratic Rally must answer today is why it disagrees with Christodoulides, a man raised in its own ranks, but above all, what different Cyprus it proposes.
