Siber: “Non recognition of the TRNC should not be an obstacle for inter-parliamentary friendship relations”
24 May, 2016Özgürgün: “I hope the new structure of Greek Cypriot parliament contributes to our good will initiatives”
24 May, 2016The Greek Cypriot press indicated regarding the parliamentary elections in Greek Cypriot side that voters determined the election results by turning away from the polls. Newspapers wrote that 179,652 voters did not go to the polls in order to protest elections.
While DISI became the winner of the elections with 30.69 % of the votes, AKEL was one of the disappointed parties with 25,672% of votes, wounded deeply compared to the previous elections. According to the comments in the Greek Cypriot press, AKEL took a major blow with the lowest vote rate in its history and a change in the party leadership is also among the possibilities that may arise in the coming days.
On the other hand, according to the Greek Cypriot media, some important points came to light related to the decrease in the vote rates of AKEL and DISI. According to comments, AKEL is still paying the price for the economic crisis which emerged during the presidency of Dimitris Hristofyas. The impact of the economic crisis has also continued during Anastasiades’ period and caused DISI to lose votes as well. It was also stated that bipolarity due to the close relationships between the two parties regarding the Cyprus problem was effective in reducing votes. Besides, Eleni Theoharus’ separation from DISI and participation in the elections with her own party also caused a decline in DISI’s vote rates.
One of the losers of the elections in the South is EDEK. EDEK which took 8.93% of votes in the parliamentary elections in 2011, lost two seats in the parliament with 6.18 vote rate in the elections on Sunday 22nd May. On the other hand, DIKO, which exhibits uncompromising attitudes on the Cyprus problem, experienced great joy after the election results on Sunday. The DIKO party, survived this year’s elections without being affected in a negative way by taking 14.49% of the votes. Ecologists-Citizens Solidarity also welcomed the election results by taking 4.81% of votes. Yorgos Lilikas’s party Citizens Alliance also gained right to enter the parliament by raising its vote rate to 6.01% in this year’s election. Another Greek Cypriot political party which gained right to enter parliament is the fascist ELAM, which is well known with its racist attacks against Turkish Cypriots. ELAM is supported by fascist Golden Dawn party in Greece. While 4056 voters supported ELAM in the elections in 2011, the party succeed to enter the parliament with 13,041 votes (3.71%). Some sources in the Greek Cypriot press described the situation as “a disgrace for democracy”. According to the Greek Cypriot press, with an eight-party structure it seems that inevitable differences will occur in the political map of the Greek Cypriot parliament.