Marios Channides withdraws from EDEK leadership race

Marios Channides, a member of the Political Bureau of the EDEK party, has officially announced the withdrawal of his candidacy for the party presidency ahead of the internal elections scheduled for September 5. In a formal statement issued on August 26, Channides declared his full support for rival candidate Koullis Mavronicolas, arguing that the party currently lacks the luxury of an internal conflict.

Channides emphasized that his decision was based on discussions with party members and officials, concluding that Mavronicolas possesses the necessary experience, institutional knowledge, and political stability to navigate the party through a difficult transitional period. He stressed that the primary goal is to preserve the unity of the movement and facilitate a political restart rather than focusing on individual leadership roles.

While Channides has exited the race to consolidate support for Mavronicolas, another candidate, Kouttoukis, has confirmed that he will remain in the contest. The internal election is set to proceed on September 5, with the party looking ahead to its regular congress scheduled for December to finalize its organizational and political direction.