Former Auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides plans to remain independent of political parties in his endeavour to contest the next presidential election in 2028, he said over the weekend.

Michaelides made the statement on X on Sunday after left-wing Akel general-secretary Stefanos Stefanou said the former independent official was welcome to present his proposals and be heard by the people.

In an interview earlier on Sunday with Phileleftheros, Stefanou was asked about Michaelides throwing his lot in with Akel and its expanded social alliance.

“Those who want and whenever they want to get involved in politics, let them get involved,” Stefanou said.

“Let them bring their proposals and let the people judge them in the elections.”

Stefanou said that as a party of the left, Akel could comfortably cover the progressive space more broadly on the basis of a progressive political agenda.

That was why Akel was upgrading the “institution of the new forces with the establishment of the social alliance”, he said.

“Our efforts will be placed there,” Stefanou said.

“All those who believe that we must cleanse Cyprus of corruption, that we must continue to pursue our chances for a solution to the Cyprus problem, those who want the restoration of the rule of law, those who want us to have a social state and those who want Cyprus to be a bridge of cooperation and peace in the region and beyond, let them work hard at Akel Left Social Alliance. Here they will find the political platform that gives strength to their voice and opinions,” he said.

Michaelides responded that even though both of his grandfathers were active members of the left-wing movement, as he had previously said at a recent ecologists’ event, “I believe that the effort to combat corruption, strengthen the rule of law and modernise institutions should be based on civil society directly and not through the parties.

“I emphasised that my intention is to remain distanced from parties, even from the Ecologists who have been my constant supporters all these years,” he added.

The former auditor general was fired on the grounds of inappropriate conduct on September 18 and later indicated his intention to run for president in 2028 through the creation of a political movement focused on fighting corruption.

“We are changing this state. We are changing the institutions. I have already begun studying this. We’re doing this not for moral reasons, but for the genuine prosperity of citizens,” Michaelides told CyBC shortly after leaving his post.

In his first tell-all interview since his dismissal, Michaelides alleged in early October that he was ousted because he could not be silenced.

The ‘deep state’ wanted him out of the picture so corruption could continue unhindered, he said in an interview with Phileleftheros.