Former finance minister Haris Georgiades has told Disy leader Annita Demetriou that, for the first time, he will not take part in the campaign of the party's presidential candidate if that candidate is former party leader Averof Neophytou, opening a new front at the party's Pindarou Street headquarters just one day after Neophytou and George Pamborides formally submitted their bids for the nomination. In a letter sent to Demetriou on Tuesday, Georgiades writes that he understands the circumstances in which she decided not to seek the nomination, but makes clear that he cannot accept a fait accompli which, he argues, took shape under pressure and blatant political blackmail. He links this assessment directly to the possibility of an independent candidacy, which, he says, Neophytou kept open until the last moment. As confirmation, he cites the party's announcement of 12 October, which said the leader's withdrawal had "ensured everyone's participation in the democratic processes". Instead of a sober process on the party's strategy and choices, he writes, tactical manoeuvring, backroom dealings and unbridled ambition prevailed, something he considers incompatible with the political tradition of the Democratic Rally.
An objection over positions
Georgiades' second objection concerns Neophytou's political profile. He argues that the former leader now expresses positions on numerous issues that depart substantially from Disy's long-standing positions, that this has been evident repeatedly in recent years and very recently, and that it undermines the party's effort to function as a serious and coherent force of the modern centre-right. For this reason, he writes, he considers it his political duty to distance himself should Neophytou's candidacy become the choice of the majority of members. Anticipating any reading of his stance as a matter of polling, he makes clear that his objections have nothing to do with Neophytou's electability, recalling that in the 2023 presidential elections he gave the then party leader his full support despite unfavourable assessments of his chances even at that time.
Resignation from the Clerides Institute
Georgiades stresses that his position does not amount to distancing himself from Disy, which he still regards as the main pillar of security and stability. To make things easier for Demetriou in whatever steps she considers necessary, however, he has placed at her disposal his resignation as president of the Glafcos Clerides Institute, a post to which she reappointed him last July. He concludes that passivity or pretence could never be options for him, which is why he is making his position known in good time, before the electoral process is completed.
Earlier warnings
The letter is the culmination of a series of public interventions. After Neophytou announced his candidacy on 27 September, Georgiades warned that the party's very cohesion was at stake and urged the former leader to think again. Demetriou withdrew on 8 October, after a meeting with the two contenders at Pindarou, saying the decision was her own and taken without pressure. On Monday, Neophytou and Pamborides formally submitted their candidacies and pledged to back the winner. Disy's candidate will be chosen by the party's roughly 49,000 members at the Pancyprian Electoral Assembly on 28 November.
The letter in full
Haris Georgiades, 27 October 2026
To the President of the Democratic Rally, Ms Annita Demetriou
Dear Madam President,
I would like to inform you that, for the first time, I will not be in a position to take part in the election campaign in support of the party's candidate in the 2028 presidential elections, should that candidate be Mr Averof Neophytou.
I understand the circumstances under which you took your own decision not to seek the nomination. I hope, however, that you too will understand that I could never, as a matter of principle, accept a fait accompli which I consider to have been shaped under conditions of pressure and blatant political blackmail. I am referring, of course, to the possibility of an independent candidacy, which Mr Neophytou kept open until the very last moment. The reference in the party's announcement of 12 October that your decision to withdraw "ensured everyone's participation in the democratic processes" fully confirms this assessment.
It is truly unfortunate that, instead of a sober political process through which the party's strategy would be drawn up and its options assessed, tactical manoeuvring, backroom dealings and unbridled ambition appear to have prevailed. This is a development that is inconsistent with the principles, values, practices and political tradition of the Democratic Rally.
Moreover, we are faced with the prospect of the party's candidate being a person who now expresses, on numerous issues, positions that depart substantially from the long-standing and vindicated positions of the Democratic Rally. This issue has arisen repeatedly in recent years and has recurred very recently, in a way that undermines the effort for the Democratic Rally to function as a serious and coherent party of the modern centre-right.
I therefore consider it my political duty to distance myself from Mr Neophytou's candidacy, should it be the choice of the majority.
I wish to make clear that my objections are not related to Mr Neophytou's electability. My decisions have never been determined solely by assessments of electoral success or failure. Indeed, in the 2023 presidential elections, when the political circumstances of the candidacy of the then leader of the party were very different, I offered my full support, despite the unfavourable assessments, even then, of his electability.
I also wish to stress that my present position in no way constitutes a distancing on my part from the Democratic Rally. On the contrary, I continue to believe firmly that it remains the main pillar of security, stability and progress for our country. However, wishing to facilitate any handling and decisions you may make, I place at your disposal my resignation from the particularly honourable position of president of the Glafcos Clerides Institute.
Because passivity or pretence could never be options for me, I consider it my duty to inform you of my decision in good time, before the electoral process has even been completed. In the same spirit, and for the sake of transparency, I inform you that this letter will be made public.
Yours sincerely,
Haris Georgiades
