The winning candidate will be chosen on November 28

Averof Neophytou and Giorgos Pamboridis formally submitted their candidacies for Disy’s presidential nomination on Monday, setting the stage for an internal contest ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

The contrasting arrivals of the two candidates at Disy’s headquarters in Nicosia offered an early glimpse of their different approaches to the campaign, with Neophytou greeted by jubilant supporters while Pamboridis opted for a more understated appearance.

Young supporters gathered outside the party’s offices on Pindarou Street, chanting “Seismos, seismos, Synagermos” (Earthquake, earthquake, Disy) as Neophytou arrived to submit his candidacy.

The former party leader appeared visibly pleased by the reception, smiling and acknowledging those gathered, stopping repeatedly to greet supporters and pose for selfies before making his announcement.

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Averof Neophytou with his wife Maria

Speaking from what he described as his political home, Neophytou said he was submitting his candidacy “with a sense of responsibility and emotion” to the judgement of the party’s thousands of members.

“I am here, in my own home, in my big family, the Democratic Rally, to submit my candidacy to the judgement of the thousands of members of Disy,” he said.

He described the forthcoming internal election as “a great celebration for democracy and for our party”, stressing that it would be the first time thousands of members would choose the party’s presidential candidate.

Much of his speech focused on the everyday financial pressures facing Cypriots, with Neophytou addressing younger supporters, pensioners and small business owners directly.

“I live your anxieties and your struggles. I live and experience your disappointment,” he told younger supporters.

“I know, Yiannis and Chrystalla, how difficult it is to make ends meet, to pay your rent, the cost of electricity and the rising cost of living.”

Turning to older generations, he spoke of longtime party supporters struggling with inadequate pensions.

“I see the people with whom I grew up in the Democratic Rally, those with white hair and grey hair,” he said.

“I know, my dear Andreas, that at the end of the month you cannot make ends meet on your meagre pension, with the cost of living that is breaking bones.”

Neophytou also singled out small and medium-sized businesses, describing them as the backbone of the Cypriot economy while criticising the bureaucratic obstacles they face.

He referred to business owners among those gathered, saying they were being burdened by bureaucracy and by the very state they helped sustain.

His remarks combined an appeal to Disy’s traditional support base with an attempt to connect with younger generations and households facing mounting economic pressures.

George Pamborides with his wife Galatia

Pamboridis, meanwhile, made a considerably quieter entrance, moving quickly to the formalities and delivering a short statement without the ceremony that had accompanied his rival’s arrival.

The former health minister focused on the internal election process and the importance of ensuring that the party emerged united and strengthened.

“I look forward to a high-quality and timely process,” he said, adding that he expected the party’s organisational structures to safeguard the integrity of the result.

“I am confident that the Democratic Rally will emerge stronger from this process, so that it can face the 2028 presidential elections and once again seek the trust of Cypriot society,” Pamboridis said.

He concluded by thanking those present, without elaborating on his political programme or the issues he intends to prioritise during the campaign.

The candidacy submission process officially concluded with Disy official Xenia Constantinou confirming shortly afterwards that the party’s electoral committee would convene to oversee the next stage.

Speaking to reporters, Constantinou welcomed what she described as the important political message conveyed by both candidates concerning party unity.

“I consider extremely important the political message sent by both candidates, that whoever receives the nomination on November 28, the following day must find us united, together and strong,” she said.

She stressed that the ultimate objective was for Disy to return to power in the 2028 presidential election.

The internal election will take place on November 28, when party members will decide which of the two candidates will represent Disy in the presidential contest.

The race comes against the backdrop of divisions within the party following the 2023 presidential election, with the outcome expected to shape both Disy’s leadership direction and its prospects of returning to government.