Less than a week before the presidential elections, the Akel and Disy camps on Monday turned up the rhetoric dial, seeking to rally their respective fan bases by highlighting what was at stake for the next five years.
Akel got the ball rolling with a statement mocking President Nicos Anastasiades for the way in which he stumped for Disy candidate Averof Neophytou during an event held over the weekend.
There, an emotive Anastasiades made this appeal to the audience: “If you love me, for those among you who do love me, you should vote for Averof.”
Commenting on this, Akel said: “Even the stones in Cyprus know that Nicos Anastasiades supports Neophytou when he’s on stage, but roots for Nicos Christodoulides behind the scenes.”
According to Akel, this made it very clear what was really at stake: “Either there will be a continuation of the Anastasiades administration, with the one or other Disy candidate [meaning Neophytou or Nicos Christodoulides], or we shall achieve change with Andreas Mavroyiannis as president.”
Christodoulides had served as government spokesman and then foreign minister in the current administration, before resigning in January 2022. He formally announced his candidacy in June.
“The dilemma for all people is crystal clear – Anastasiades and Disy, or cleansing and change? A third Anastasiades administration, or Andreas Mavroyiannis as president?”
Hiting back, ruling Disy derided Akel for “being unable to mind its own business and put its own house in order throughout this election campaign.
“Their stress is so obviously great, that they think they can influence the electorate by firing broadsides against Disy, Averof Neophytou or the president of the Republic.”
According to Disy, the Cypriot people can see for themselves “the barren policies and rhetoric of Akel, which they have repeatedly rejected in successive elections, as they will do this coming Sunday.
“The ask of these elections is just one: to press ahead on a path of stability, and not to return to the bankrupt policies of Akel, nor allow for any experiments under the Christodoulides consortium.”
