Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-05-22

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS - VOTING

[01] PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS - VOTING

A total of ten political parties or movements with 412 candidates are contesting the elections. Six people are running as independent candidates and nine for the three representatives of the religious groups.

A total of 531,136 persons are entitled to vote in Sundays election at 1203 polling stations, set up throughout the government controlled areas of the Republic. A further two stations have been set up for the enclaved persons (Greek Cypriots living in the northern Turkish occupied areas of the Republic) and 17 for the election of the representatives of the three religious groups represented at the House (Latins, Armenians and Maronites).

Polling stations will open at 0700 local time (0400 GMT) and close at 1830.

Polling stations have also been set up abroad, in the Greek cities of Athens, Thessaloniki, Patra as well as in London and Manchester in order to facilitate all Cypriots who live there.

In todays elections a total of 544 Turkish Cypriots, who live in the government controlled part of Cyprus, have registered to vote.

According to the 1960 Constitution, the Greek Cypriot community, comprising Greek Cypriots, Latins, Armenians and Maronites, elects its own representatives to the House and the Turkish Cypriot community its own deputies. The Turkish Cypriot MPs withdrew unilaterally from Parliament in 1964 following intercommunal strife.

Twenty of the 56 parliamentary seats are allocated to Nicosia electoral district, 12 to Limassol, 11 to Famagusta, 6 to Larnaka, 4 to Paphos and 3 to Keryneia. Seats are allocated under the system of proportional representation.

Polls will close at 1830 with a one-hour break at noon. Votes will be counted at the regional electoral centers and final results on the percentage secured by the parties as well as the number of the seats in the new parliament, are expected to be announced around 23.00 local time.

A strong police force of around 2.000 policemen will be on duty to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Parliamentary elections take place every five years, for the 56 seat House. This will be the 10th parliamentary poll since the Republic of Cyprus was established in 1960.

According to the 1960 Constitution, 50 deputies are elected to the House. In June 1985, the House by a unanimous decision increased this number to 80 (56 from the Greek Cypriot community and 24 from the Turkish Cypriot community by virtue of the Law of Necessity.

The Constitution stipulates that the Greek community of Cyprus, comprising Greek Cypriots, Latins, Armenians and Maronites, elects its own representatives to the House and the Turkish community of Cyprus its own deputies by a ratio of 70% to 30 %. The Turkish Cypriots withdrew unilaterally from Parliament in 1964 following intercommunal fighting and as part of their rebellion against the government.

Six political parties are currently represented to the House of Representatives: the leftwing AKEL which received 31.16% (18 seats), the rightwing Democratic Rally (DISI) with 30.33% (18 seats), the Democratic Party (DIKO) with 17.91% (11 seats), the Social Democrats Movement EDEK 8,91% (5 seats), the European Party (EVROKO) with 5.73% (3 seats) and the Ecologists with 1,95% (1 seat).

Today the House has seven women deputies, as opposed to six in the previous House, representing AKEL (3), DISI (2), DIKO (1) and EDEK (1).

Following a House plenary decision, an additional seat has been allocated to Larnaca district and the distribution of seats at present is as follows: 20 in Nicosia District, 12 in Limassol District, 11 in Famagusta District, 6 in Larnaca District, 4 in Paphos District and 3 in the Kyrenia District.

Armenians, Maronites and Latins, who belong to the Greek Cypriot community, elect their representatives to the House, who do not have the right to vote. Vartkes Mahtesian was elected representative of the Armenian religious group, Antonis Hatzirousos of the Maronite group and Benito Mantovani representative of the Latins.

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article