President Nikos Christodoulides continues to insist that it is too early to discuss the 2028 presidential election. Yet his government's actions tell a different story.
Its public messaging, political manoeuvring, appointments to key positions and persistent promotion of government initiatives all point to an administration that has already begun preparing for the next electoral contest, despite claims that the issue will only be addressed when 2027 arrives.
The main protagonist
In practice, the campaign for 2028 has already begun and the first person positioning himself within it is the president himself.
The paradox is not that Christodoulides appears to be preparing for a second term. It is that he seeks to present himself as one of the few people not focused on the next election, even as his political moves, government decisions and efforts to build or assess relationships with political parties suggest a strategy with a clear electoral destination.
Keeping the discussion at arm's length
The president and his advisers repeatedly argue that now is not the time for election debates and that the focus should remain on the public's problems.
Supporters of the government present this as a responsible approach. Critics view it differently, arguing that it allows the Presidential Palace to avoid scrutiny over its electoral intentions while retaining all the advantages enjoyed by an incumbent president preparing for re-election.
The issue is not whether Christodoulides has formally announced a second candidacy. He has not.
The issue is whether the government's political behaviour is consistent with its public position.
On 4 August, Christodoulides said he would decide during 2027 whether to seek a second term. On 29 September, he repeated that discussions about the presidential election were premature. On 14 October, the government spokesperson similarly argued that the election should not be a priority 16 months before it takes place.
The statements are clear. The question is whether government practice reflects the same approach.
Governing with an eye on 2028
One indication lies in the government's broader strategy.
Promoting government achievements has become a central objective, with social measures, development projects and messaging around economic and defence policy expected to intensify as 2028 approaches.
Every government has the right and responsibility to present its work to voters. However, when that effort is explicitly linked to reaching specific electoral audiences more effectively, the political dimension becomes difficult to ignore.
The incumbent's advantage
Christodoulides possesses an advantage unavailable to any potential challenger: he is already president.
He has access to the machinery of government, the visibility of the office, international engagements and the ability to shape the political agenda.
He can visit communities, announce projects, unveil policy measures and remain at the centre of public attention. His opponents, meanwhile, are still searching for candidates, resolving internal disputes and building alliances.
Presenting government achievements is entirely legitimate. Yet there is a difference between informing citizens and systematically cultivating an electoral image while simultaneously insisting that election considerations remain far away.
The politics of communication
A government genuinely focused on public concerns does not rely solely on announcements and presentations.
It measures results, acknowledges failures, corrects mistakes and explains honestly what it has not managed to achieve.
According to the author, Christodoulides has increasingly embraced a communications-driven approach in which political success is judged as much by how decisions are presented as by the impact they have on people's daily lives.
Ultimately, voters in 2028 will not be assessing press releases and promises. They will be judging an entire five-year record.
Parties remain crucial
A second indication lies in the president's relationships with political parties.
The 2028 equation cannot be solved without the parties that backed Christodoulides in 2023. Yet the alliance that brought him to power can no longer be taken for granted.
DIKO has already opened a discussion about the next presidential election and has not ruled out putting forward its own candidate. Although its participation in government strengthens ties with the president, it does not eliminate its independent electoral ambitions.
Party leader Nicolas Papadopoulos understands that close identification with the government may bring benefits but could also burden DIKO with the political costs of any government failures.
The same calculations confront DIPA and EDEK, both of which must weigh questions of political influence and survival when considering their future strategy.
For Christodoulides, keeping these forces within the governing camp remains important.
The ELAM factor
Particular attention is also being paid to ELAM.
The party's recent approach towards the government has become noticeably less confrontational, although this alone does not imply any eventual electoral agreement.
Many political observers believe ELAM is still likely to field its own candidate in the first round of the presidential election.
Nevertheless, the Presidential Palace cannot ignore the party's potential role and electoral choices.
Building a new majority will require negotiations, compromises and political trade-offs. The more maintaining alliances becomes an objective in itself, however, the stronger the perception that government decisions are being shaped not only by governance but also by re-election calculations.
DISY remains the biggest prize
Christodoulides' most important electoral target remains the political space from which he emerged: DISY.
Despite his break with the party leadership before the 2023 election, he retained significant support among the party's grassroots membership.
Recent opinion polls published in the press suggest that around one-quarter of DISY voters would like to see Christodoulides as the party's candidate in 2028.
That finding indicates the president continues to enjoy access to a voter base he is almost certain to pursue.
Any weakening of DISY's eventual official candidate would likely strengthen his own prospects.
Strategic distance
For that reason, Christodoulides' public distance from DISY's internal nomination process is politically useful.
He says he is not getting involved, avoids taking sides and allows events to unfold.
Whether this reflects a carefully crafted strategy or simple political restraint, the effect is the same.
He avoids the cost of direct intervention while continuing to benefit from significant support within the wider DISY electorate.
