Preparations finalized for Cyprus parliamentary elections

Cyprus is in the final phase of preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for May 24, 2026. Chief returning officer Elikkos Elia and election service head Menelaos Vasiliou confirmed that ballot papers will be delivered on Tuesday and staffing for 1,217 polling stations is complete. A total of 1,204 stations will serve the parliamentary vote, including 13 overseas locations in Athens, Thessaloniki, London, and Brussels, while 13 additional stations are designated for the Maronite religious group representative election. There are 568,587 registered voters, including 595 enclaved persons and 859 Turkish Cypriots living in free areas. The voting threshold for parliamentary entry is 3.6 percent. Vote counting will take place on-site at each polling station immediately after polls close at 6:00 p.m. Preliminary results from smaller stations are expected by 6:30 p.m., with final seat allocations likely to be clear between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Candidates may have representatives present during the counting process to ensure transparency.