GREEK REPORTER Far-Right and Political Outsiders Surge in Cyprus Elections; Centrists Collapse By Tasos Kokkinidis May 25, 2026

 GREEK REPORTER

Far-Right and Political Outsiders Surge in Cyprus Elections; Centrists Collapse

ByTasos Kokkinidis

May 25, 2026

Election workers count votes at a polling station in Nicosia, Cyprus, May 24, 2026. Cypriots showed up at the polls to elect new members of the House of Representatives for a five-year term. EPA/GEORGE CHRISTOFOROU via AMNA

The political landscape of Cyprus is facing a major shakeup following Sunday’s legislative elections. Results show significant gains for the far-right, a strong showing by anti-corruption newcomers, and a victory for a prominent social media influencer.

Just over 500,000 voters cast ballots to fill 56 parliamentary seats in an election widely viewed as a crucial indicator of political trends ahead of the 2028 presidential race.

Traditional leaders hold on, but centrists collapse in Cyprus elections

While the island’s two dominant parties maintained their top positions, centrist parties aligned with incumbent President Nicos Christodoulides suffered devastating losses.

• DISY (Right-wing): Retained first place with 27.2% (a slight decline)
• AKEL (Communist): Secured second place with 23.8% (a minor increase)
• The Presidential Coalition: The three centrist parties backing Christodoulides—Diko, Dipa, and EDEK—all faltered. Notably, Dipa and the long-standing Socialist party EDEK failed to meet the 3.6% threshold required to enter Parliament entirely.

Final results of Cyprus elections May 24, 2026. Credit: RIK

Christodoulides lamented the electoral wipeout faced by Dipa and EDEK, saying that both parties deserved to win seats. “Dipa and EDEK deserved to be in the new House, and have proven it, and we see that they did not make it into the new House by tens or hundreds of votes. They should have been there. They deserved to be in parliament,” he said.

He added that his government, despite losing two of the three parties in Parliament which had supported it to date, “will continue to work consistently to implement its program.”

Because executive power rests with the presidency, these losses mean Christodoulides will face a much harder time building coalitions to pass legislation or secure a second term in two years. In response to the shift, the President stated he respects the voters’ decision and promises “substantial, honest, and institutionally responsible” cooperation with the new Parliament.

“Citizens chose security and stability,” said Democratic Rally (DISY) President Annita Demetriou regarding the parliamentary election results, noting that “hard work” resumes tomorrow. Speaking outside the Democratic Rally headquarters in Nicosia, flanked by party officials, Demetriou noted that the election was fought “in an unprecedentedly toxic environment, and yet citizens chose security and stability.”

The rise of the far-right and newcomers

Driven by voter concerns over corruption and the rising cost of living, non-traditional parties made major breakthroughs:

• ELAM (Far-right): An offshoot of Greece’s banned Golden Dawn party, ELAM nearly doubled its support, jumping from 6.8% in 2021 to 11%. Running on an anti-migration platform, the party advocates for a hardline stance against Turkish Cypriots, including closing the buffer-zone checkpoints. It is now the third-largest party in Parliament.
• ALMA (Anti-corruption): This brand-new movement secured 6% of the vote on a platform of accountability and political reform. ALMA leadership has already ruled out any cooperation with ELAM.
• Direct Democracy (Outsiders): Founded by social media influencer Phidias Panayiotou, famous for a viral 2023 campaign to get a hug from Elon Musk, the party captured 5.4% of the vote.