Cyprus government considers reversing decision to remove parents' names from ID cards

Following significant public and political backlash, the Cypriot Ministry of Interior is considering reversing its July 2026 decision to exclude parents' names from new biometric identity cards. The government initially removed these fields to align with European administrative standards and to address 2012 recommendations from the Commissioner for the Protection of Children's Rights, which argued that displaying a dash for children of single mothers or unknown paternity caused discrimination and stigmatization.

Political parties, including Disy, Elam, and Dipa, have formally protested the move, describing it as an unilateral decision made without sufficient public consultation. Several parties have submitted, or intend to submit, legislative proposals requiring the inclusion of parental names while providing citizens with the option to opt out. The government has denied acting unilaterally, claiming it had prior parliamentary consensus, but is now in consultations with the issuing company to find a technical solution that restores parental names while allowing for privacy-based exceptions.

While the Ministry maintains that parents' details remain stored in the national population registry, it is currently evaluating whether it is technically feasible to reintroduce these fields onto the physical ID cards. The outcome of these ongoing negotiations is expected to determine the future format of the documents.