The three candidates who did not make it through to next Sunday`s run off election for the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus, have said their parties will convene this week to decide on the next steps.
Incumbent President Nicos Anastasiades and independent presidential hopeful Stavros Malas will contest Sunday’s run off election which will elect the Republic’s eighth president.
In today’s first round, Anastasiades garnered 35.5% while Malas, who is backed by left wing party AKEL, secured 30.3%.
Speaking after the election results, Democratic Party leader and presidential candidate Nicholas Papadopoulos said that despite the disappointment and bitterness his party feels in that he did not make it to second round of the elections, “we will not give up, we will continue to fight because the centre can constitute the third power.”
The DIKO leader trailed third with 25.7%
Flanked by his wife, close associates and the leaders of Socialist EDEK, the Green Party and Solidarity Movement who backed his candidacy, Papadopoulos said he telephoned Nicos Anastasiades and Stavros Malas to congratulate them on their success in going through to the second round. He thanked the parties which supported him.
He also said he will continue to fight with all his strength for what he believes in. Tomorrow is a new day, he said. He did not answer any questions from the press.
ELAM leader Christos Christou, who ranked 4th with 5.6%, called on Cypriot Hellenism to remain united.
Thanking those who supported his candidacy and his party, he said “today we have achieved a great victory.”
Regarding ELAM’s plans for the run off election, Christou said a questionnaire will be sent to the two candidates, Nicos Anastasiades and Stavros Malas and the party’s official decision will be announced after the relevant meetings in the next few days.
Citizens’ Alliance leader, Yiorgos Lillikas said he was disappointed with the election result, adding that his candidacy was damaged by the slogan that voting for ELAM was a “lost vote.”
He said the Alliance fought hard under difficult and adverse conditions.
Regarding next Sunday’s election, Lillikas said the Alliance will convene to take final decisions. Yiorgos Lillikas of Citizens’ Alliance Movement got 2.2% of the vote.
