Former Cyprus President and former DISY leader Nicos Anastasiades has warned that a divided party would face significant electoral difficulties ahead of the 2028 presidential election, stressing that its internal democratic procedures must be respected.
Speaking after Annita Demetriou and Averof Neofytou declared their respective intentions regarding the presidential race, Anastasiades said all sides should accept the outcome of DISY’s internal process and indicated that he has already made efforts to help preserve unity.
More than one candidate not unusual
Speaking on Alpha Cyprus’ Alpha Kalimera, Anastasiades said having more than one prospective candidate within DISY was not in itself unusual.
“There are democratic procedures within the party. Therefore, it is not strange to have one or two candidates from the same political group, provided that the statutory provisions are observed and we proceed with elections,” he said.
He recalled his own previous internal contest against Eleni Theocharous.
“I myself was challenged in the past when I stood against my dear Eleni Theocharous. In the end, I prevailed, we moved forward united and we won,” he said.
Call for internal result to be respected
Anastasiades expressed hope that everyone would accept the outcome once DISY’s internal procedures were completed.
“Even if there are some doubts at present, I want to hope that in the end wisdom will prevail over vanity and ambition,” he said.
He added that once the party leadership and collective bodies had decided DISY should contest the election with its own candidate, everyone should respect the result.
“Everyone must follow the outcome of the internal party ballot,” he said.
Anastasiades declined to comment specifically on individual candidacy announcements, arguing instead that a major political party should first assess its wider electoral strategy.
“Every serious political organisation, particularly the largest party in the country, must first examine how it will contest the elections and with whom it may cooperate so that there are prospects for success,” he said.
Warning over Neofytou candidacy
Asked what it would mean for DISY if Neofytou contested the presidential election outside the party’s internal procedures, Anastasiades said it would inevitably create divisions.
“It would certainly create a rift, a split,” he said.
He added that party members, as well as citizens who wanted strong political forces, would want to see DISY contest the election united.
Anastasiades also noted that the statutory procedures for selecting the party’s presidential candidate were introduced while Neofytou was DISY president.
Anastasiades recalls 2023 election
Anastasiades was also asked whether DISY risked repeating the divisions surrounding the 2023 presidential election.
“What the Democratic Rally experienced in 2023 was that the then-candidate, Mr Christodoulides, chose not to follow the party’s procedures and to proceed on his own,” he said.
Asked whether Nicos Christodoulides nevertheless had considerable support within DISY at the time, Anastasiades replied: “Yes, of course.”
He was also asked about Neofytou’s references to “betrayal” during the 2023 presidential campaign.
“I am not aware that there was any coup,” Anastasiades said.
He added, however, that the behaviour and positions of certain individuals may have influenced events before and during crucial stages of the election.
“What I do know is that the general behaviour and stance of certain members, both before and at critical moments, either before or after the first round of the elections, may have been influenced by various factors,” he said.
Previous efforts to find common ground
Responding to suggestions that his interventions in 2023 had not succeeded, Anastasiades defended the role he played at the time.
“I intervened to find a way to reach an understanding. What I achieved or did not achieve is now a matter of fact,” he said.
Asked about recent public discussion concerning private meetings, including references to dinners at fish restaurants, Anastasiades denied any involvement.
“No, no, no. I wasn’t even invited,” he said.
Asked whether he preferred fish or meat, he replied: “I prefer fish. But I don’t want to play Maria of the backrooms.”
He added that his understanding was that Neofytou had already confirmed that such meetings took place.
‘The numbers speak for themselves’
Asked whether DISY faced the possibility of electoral failure under the current circumstances, Anastasiades warned about the consequences of division.
“There is no doubt that if the party goes forward divided and without alliances, then the numbers speak for themselves,” he said.
Anastasiades also declined to give a detailed assessment of Christodoulides’ three-and-a-half years in government.
“I don’t want to comment at this moment. There are positives and there are negatives,” he said.
He said he had stepped away from day-to-day active politics and did not want to become involved in public confrontation.
“What interests me is seeing the political group of which I was a co-founder remain united, for the good of the country,” he said.
Anastasiades leaves door open to intervention
Asked whether he would be prepared to intervene to prevent an internal DISY crisis, Anastasiades indicated that he had already taken initiatives.
“I have picked up the phone repeatedly,” he said when asked whether he had made relevant approaches.
He clarified, however, that he had not made similar contacts in the preceding hours.
