A new opinion poll by RAI Consultants, presented on Thursday evening by Alpha Cyprus, points to significant shifts in Cyprus’s political landscape ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections.
According to voting intention, DISY emerges in first place, holding a narrow lead over AKEL, while ELAM ranks third. The poll suggests that the “Alma” Movement and “Direct Democracy” are on course to secure representation in the House of Representatives.
At the same time, DIKO is shown falling to sixth place, while Volt is hovering close to the parliamentary threshold. Low percentages are recorded for DIKO, EDEK and the Greens.
Seven in ten rate the President negatively
The survey also records widespread dissatisfaction with the performance of President Nikos Christodoulides. Seven in ten respondents evaluate his governance negatively, with 29 percent saying they are not at all satisfied and a further 37 percent saying they are not very satisfied with his overall performance.
Views are more favourable when it comes to foreign policy. In that area, 32 percent say they are fairly satisfied and 18 percent very satisfied.
The poll was conducted between 10 and 16 January 2026 and is based on 1,031 completed interviews with individuals aged 18 and over.
Analysis by Nasios Oreinos
Commenting on the findings this morning on Politis Radio, election analyst Nasios Oreinos stressed that polls should be read collectively and with a focus on trends rather than in isolation.
He noted that the survey shows a drop of around seven percentage points in satisfaction with the President, from 40 percent to 33 percent, adding that the comparison indicates the controversial video clearly affected the President’s public image. Almost seven in ten citizens now appear dissatisfied, he said, while the modest improvement seen previously has come to a halt.
Turning to the party landscape, Oreinos said traditional political formations are recording losses and low levels of voter consolidation. He also underlined that roughly one third of the electorate remains undecided or declines to answer, a factor that significantly affects the final electoral picture.
He added that the pre-election agenda has shifted, with corruption moving to the forefront and now shaping both public debate and party strategies.