Diko moves one step closer to backing Christodoulides (updated)

Diko and presidential candidate Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday moved a step closer to solidifying their cooperation for the February elections, with the junior opposition party expected to announce its final decision on Sunday.

Diko leader Nikolas Papadopoulos met Christodoulides at the party’s offices with both veteran politicians later telling the media of the constructive talks which took place.

They jointly said they had discussed a wide array of important topics – from the Cyprus problem and the economy to social issues – with Christodoulides set to reply to Diko by Wednesday on some of their concerns.

Papadopoulos said that Diko’s executive office on Wednesday will have at its disposal all the relevant criteria on which to decide how to proceed. That will pave the way towards a central committee on Sunday which will make the final decisions on the presidential elections, he said.

The burgeoning field of candidates, now standing at a dozen, vying for the top spot has thrown the island into a pre-election campaign status, close to nine months before votes are cast.

Christodoulides, Disy leader Averof Neophytou, and Akel-backed Andreas Mavroyiannis are those viewed as securing considerable chunks of the electorate. Mavroyiannis and Christodoulides emphasise that they are running as independents.

The view of there being three main candidates was reiterated by Neophytou on Tuesday when he said “There is the Diko candidate [meaning Christodoulides], Akel’s candidate [Mavroyiannis] and the ‘original’, the Disy leader [referring to himself].”

He further detailed that on July 4, marking 46 years since the founding of Disy, the party will announce a 100-point election manifesto.

Neophytou said that the manifesto honours the party’s past while firmly placing on the table the proposals which had been discussed and debated over the past nine months.

In touting his hard work throughout a decades-long career, the Disy leader said he started out barefoot from Argaka, and that nothing was gifted or given to him.

Neophytou was unanimously ratified as the party’s presidential candidate for the upcoming elections during Disy’s supreme council session in March.

There is consternation amongst some within the electorate that those viewed as the most likely candidates to secure the presidency – namely Neophytou, Christodoulides, and Mavroyiannis – are all seen as being closely linked to the ruling government, with some wondering what change is truly on offer.

Other independent candidates include Achilleas Demetriades, Giorgos Colocassides, Marios Eliades and Christodoulos Protopapas.

Constantinos Christofides, former rector of the University of Cyprus, also recently announced his candidacy.