President Nikos Christodoulides has been warned that his relations with Elam may create “serious problems” for him at the European level, according to reports.

Newspaper Politis wrote that Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s Party, the European grouping to which he belongs, has told Christodoulides that “the continuation of the impression that Elam is Christodoulides’ closest interlocutor” is the source of potential political issues.

It reported that should Christodoulides continue to be viewed in Europe as a close interlocutor of Elam, it will become “impossible for him to continue to be accepted within the European centre-right”.

“This practically means that Christodoulides risks finding himself politically isolated at the European level or being pushed towards more marginal political groups,” it added.

It then said that “for a president who invests in the image of himself as a reliable European leader, as he wishes to present himself, such a possibility would be extremely negative”.

As well as Christodoulides, many high-profile political figures within Europe, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, belong to the European People’s Party.

It is oftentimes through these connections which Christodoulides has been able to present himself as a leader of influence in Europe

The reports of disquiet inside the grouping come with Christodoulides reportedly in search of new political allies to reinforce his government’s ability to pass legislation through parliament following next month’s election.

Polling suggests that the three parties which endorsed him at the 2023 presidential election and have since supported his government – Diko, Dipa, and Edek – will all face chastening results on May 24.

While Cyprus’ presidential system means the government cannot “fall” no matter the result of the election – the government does not depend on the confidence of parliament to exist – a parliament full of political adversaries would likely frustrate the government’s efforts to implement its programme. 

As such, Christodoulides has reportedly been exploring avenues through which he can shore up a base of support within the legislature, with news website Alpha having reported a little over a week ago that he was making overtures to Disy.

Christodoulides had been a Disy member for most of his life, serving as government spokesman and foreign minister under former president Nicos Anastasiades, up to the point at which he left the party in 2022 with a view to running for president against the party’s chosen candidate and leader of the day Averof Neophytou.

He was then ejected from the party, and since he won the 2023 election, Neophytou’s replacement as party leader Annita Demetriou has remained insistent that her party will not join the government, notwithstanding the fact that it votes with the government on budgetary matters in parliament. 

Additionally, a number of Disy members followed Christodoulides into government after the 2023 election, but in line with its insistence that it will remain officially in opposition, the party decided last year to eject its members who continue to serve in Christodoulides’ government.

Following this decision, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis, Tourism Deputy Minister Costas Koumis, and government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis all had their party membership terminated.