Democratic Rally (DISY) president Annita Demetriou has announced her withdrawal from the process to secure the party’s nomination for the 2028 presidential election.
The announcement came following a meeting between Demetriou, former DISY president Averof Neophytou and George Pamporidis at the party’s headquarters on Pindarou Street.
The meeting lasted around two hours. The three subsequently went down from the fifth floor of the party’s offices to the ground floor, where Demetriou addressed journalists, flanked by Neophytou and Pamporidis.
Demetriou said the meeting had taken place following an initiative by Pamporidis and focused on the party’s course towards the 2028 presidential election.
She stressed that DISY should have its own candidate and enter the presidential contest united, while emphasising that the decision of the party’s members would be respected.
‘Unity comes first for me’
Demetriou referred to concerns among DISY members and officials, saying she had been in constant contact with people across the party in recent days.
She said those discussions had highlighted members’ concerns that DISY should not once again be led into internal division, which she argued would have serious consequences for both the party and the country.
Against this backdrop, Demetriou said she considered it her personal responsibility to prevent such a development and safeguard the party’s unity.
She stressed that the party was more important than individual personalities and said she had therefore decided not to stand for the party’s nomination.
“Unity comes first for me,” she said, explaining that protecting the unity of the party was her priority.
‘My decision, without any pressure’
Responding to questions from journalists, Demetriou made clear that her withdrawal was entirely her own decision and was not the result of any pressure.
She said the meeting had addressed the political circumstances that had emerged, as well as the desire expressed by party members and officials for unity ahead of the 2028 election.
Demetriou said that, in light of recent developments and the concerns she had encountered among DISY supporters, she had concluded that withdrawing from the nomination process was the appropriate course of action.
She also pledged to continue moving forward with clarity and honesty, as she said she had done to date.
Neophytou and Pamporidis remain in the race
Following Demetriou’s withdrawal, former DISY president Averof Neophytou and George Pamporidis remain in the spotlight as potential contenders for the party’s presidential nomination.
Both continue to express an interest in the candidacy, although it remains unclear whether they will ultimately face each other in a contest for the party’s nomination.
Following Demetriou’s statement, both men said they would issue written announcements.
