Ministry of interior outlines 2026 parliamentary seat distribution procedure

The Cypriot Ministry of Interior has released details regarding the allocation of parliamentary seats for the 2026 general elections. The process begins by calculating the electoral quota for each district, determined by dividing the total number of valid votes by the number of available seats. Blank ballots are classified as invalid but are documented separately for statistical purposes. During the first allocation, parties receive seats equal to the number of times the electoral quota fits into their total votes. Any party failing to meet the quota in the first round is ineligible for seat allocation at that stage. Remainders from the division are reserved for the subsequent second distribution phase. Using Nicosia as an example with 19 seats and 120,000 valid votes, the electoral quota is set at 6,315. A party receiving 35,000 votes would secure five seats, while the remaining 3,425 votes are carried forward.