Alma MP Irene Charalambides said on Wednesday that the party’s parliamentary election result fell below expectations, revealing she had anticipated far greater support rather than the 5.8 per cent ultimately secured.

Speaking on Sigma TV, Charalambides said Alma’s campaign had been conducted with minimal expenditure and without the large-scale promotional activity traditionally associated with election campaigns.

“We got 5.8 per cent. To be honest, I expected 8 per cent,” she said, adding that party mechanisms belonging to larger political parties became more active during the final days before voting and influenced the outcome.

She said the movement had deliberately pursued an economic campaign and avoided practices such as extensive advertising and poster campaigns.

“Personally, I have only spent €160,” she said. “It was the printing of 2,000 cards.”

Charalambides added that she maintained a close personal relationship with party leader Odysseas Michaelides and had “intentionally limited her own public profile” during the campaign to “allow newer candidates greater visibility”.

Addressing criticism surrounding Alma’s decision to support Akel secretary-general Stefanos Stefanou for the House presidency, she dismissed suggestions that she might have broken with the party position.

“There was no such case,” she said. “The secretary-general is the symbol of the left. Therefore, after 15 years on the left, I have immense respect for those who have supported me over the years. There was no scenario where I could not have given my vote.”

Charalambides also commented on parliamentary reforms and committee structures following the election.

She reiterated her opposition to procedural changes approved during the final sitting of the previous parliament, arguing that one parliamentary term should not impose arrangements on its successor.

Charalambides further criticised proposals to merge the human rights committee with the legal affairs committee.

“We cannot as parliament abolish the human rights committee,” she insisted, arguing that human rights issues remain significant internationally and that the legal affairs committee already faces a substantial workload.

The Alma MP said she intends to seek participation in the commerce, communications, institutions and foreign affairs committees, citing her previous work on energy policy, developments surrounding Vasilikos and her involvement in international parliamentary bodies through the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

She also questioned aspects of the handling of the ‘Sandy’ case, saying unanswered questions remain despite investigations by the competent authorities.

Nevertheless Charalambides defended the public approach adopted by police chief Themistos Arnaoutis, saying the head of the force should be judged primarily by results rather than media appearances.