Independent candidate Christodoulides pressed on continued Disy membership

Presidential candidate Nikos Christodoulides has been pressed on his Disy membership and the nine years he served in government, with questions raised as to how credible his calls for change really are as well as his proclaimed party independence.

He emphasised that he would not rescind his Disy membership – but argued that he remains independent – despite saying that he is proud of the government’s work, although calling for a “renewal” of its policy.

The former foreign minister did a round of media interviews on Friday morning, the day after he announced his bid for the February 2023 election, where he was called on to explain how he can truly label himself as an independent who is seeking cross-party support while remaining closely linked to Disy.

“It’s not paradox,” he told state broadcaster Cybc on Friday morning, emphasisng that he currently has no party backing.

He was asked: “What if you are to receive a party’s support, would you no longer be independent?” – to which he hit back saying that the elections are not parliamentary and are instead presidential; with his address being to the public, not the parties.

“My candidacy is not dependent on party backing,” he said.

He was pressed however as to whether his preference had initially been to run as Disy’s candidate – which instead was passed over to Averof Neophytou – to which he confirmed that such discussions had taken place, but this was soon ruled out and he subsequently resigned from his post as foreign minister.

He added, however, that he remains a Disy member and there is no question of leaving the party.

But Christodoulides’ insistence that the current pressures facing society have “no party colour” were repeatedly rebutted by the presenter who drew on his political past, serving as the government spokesman and subsequently appointed by President Nicos Anastasiades as foreign minister.

It was put to him that: “You were part of a government which pressed forward with a specific party policy,” to which Christodoulides replied that the work was carried out for the president who was elected by the public – not just by Disy.

He added that “of course I’m proud of the government’s work”, which puzzled the presenter who pondered what change or overhaul of the nation is therefore really on offer.

“If I disagreed with the policy I would have left earlier,” he said, explaining that he is seeking to renew the government’s policy, not overturn it.

As to who he is appealing to – “as it can’t be the critics of the government, who point to failures with the ‘golden passports’ and on the Cyprus problem” – Christodoulides said he is addressing all of society.

“Even the president publicly admits that there were mistakes on some issues, but what we’re discussing right now are the next five years and how we move forward,” he said.

Christodoulides’ much-anticipated announcement on Thursday ended months of speculation as to whether he would run or not, but his address left some cold; who wonder whether his “vision” is realistic, whether the Disy politician will be able to truly offer everyone what he is promising.