The “quarrel” between the government and Disy on the housing crisis resembles “a dog chasing its tail”, Akel said on Thursday, charging that there is little policy difference between the two.

“They have been governing and continue to govern for 13 years, with the same policies, the same recipes, and the same results,” the party said.

It added that President Nikos Christodoulides’ assurances on the matter “cannot hide the fact that his government is counting and piling up announcements, while the public is counting their salaries which are not enough, the rents which are not coming close, the dreams of housing which are being pushed away for thousands of people”.

“Christodoulides’ government must first recognise that the problem has much larger dimensions than those it presents. The everyday life of society is what tells the truth,” it said.

“Workers and young people are forced to spend half their income to secure housing, while more and more are abandoning urban centres or remaining in their parents’ homes, unable to become independent.”

It pointed out that Limassol “remains by far the most expensive city in Cyprus to buy and rent a home”, saying that those seeking to rent a one-bedroom apartment in the city’s centre are typically required to pay €1,300 and €1,600 per month for the privilege.

“In the face of all this, the government policies which have been announced or implemented to date have failed to stop the problem from growing into what is now a housing crisis,” it said.

As such, it demanded “a bold, socially oriented, and comprehensive strategy which addresses the real causes of the crisis, and not its consequences”.

“We have already submitted specific proposals, such as limiting the uncontrolled purchase of real estate by third-country nationals for investment purposes. At the same time, we are demanding measures to ensure the mass production of affordable housing,” it said.

Such affordable housing, it added, could be built through collaboration between the state, local government, and the private sector, as well as through a substantial strengthening of the Cyprus land development corporation.

Additionally, it called for “the further utilisation of state land for social housing purposes” and “the creation of special financial tools to support young people in acquiring their first home”.

Christodoulides had written in a post on social media on Wednesday that the government is “implementing a specific plan and strategy on housing that is producing tangible results”, and not engaging in “slogans or wishful thinking”.

The interior ministry, meanwhile, said that its housing policy is “based on technical and economic studies, dialogue with market stakeholders, and the need to maintain economic stability”.

It said that building density has risen by 45 per cent since the incumbent government came to power, with 2,500 new homes expected to be added to the market in the coming years.

Disy had earlier said that the government’s policies had failed to address the problem of affordability in the property market, and argued that the situation has deteriorated.

The party’s criticism of the government comes after its leader Annita Demetriou had been elected as House president with the help of the votes of social media influencer Fidias Panayiotou’s Direct Democracy Cyprus party.

After that vote, Panayiotou and Demetriou had posted a video to social media in which they explained that they had found convergences in four policy areas, among which was the issue of housing.

Panayiotou said he wished for 10,000 new homes to be built over the coming years, with Demetriou saying that it is “feasible” and that “of course, it must happen in a short period of time, in three or four years”.

While neither has the power to implement or execute such a policy, both say they now plan to pressure the government into building more houses.