Akel leader Stefanos Stefanou declared Sunday’s election to constitute the beginning of a “new upward trajectory” for his party, as it defied opinion polls retained the 15 seats in the House it won at the last election.

“Tonight, a new upward trajectory begins, marking not only the recovery of our percentages and our votes, but also the emergence of the people’s trust in the people’s party,” he said.

He added that during the course of the campaign, “we all fought the electoral battle in difficult conditions”, but that “against this climate, Akel managed to reverse a downward trajectory which had been ongoing for many years and turn a new page”.

This, he said, “did not happen by chance”.

“We addressed society by proposing solutions to issues which affect people’s daily lives. We proposed support for workers, the middle class, young people, and pensioners, with political proposals for bold initiatives against rising prices and the cost of living,” he said.

He added that as such, Sunday’s election offers Akel the chance to “turn a new page with society and the interests of the many at the forefront”, while also turning “a new page for our Cyprus, for achieving a solution which will liberate and reunite our country and people”.

Additionally, he said the election offers “a new page for a broad progressive rally against the degradation of workers’ rights, against the far right, in support of democracy”.

“Akel is the strong leader of this progressive front, which aims to change things in this country, because our people deserve better, and we are fighting for them,” he said, before adding that his party will “continue strongly in the new parliament, for society”.