Odysseas Michaelides demands national council meeting over Cyprus issue

On September 27, 2026, Odysseas Michaelides, leader of the Alma movement, demanded an immediate convening of the National Council following President Nikos Christodoulides’ return from New York. Michaelides criticized the President for returning "empty-handed" after months of building public expectations regarding significant progress in the Cyprus issue, which failed to materialize.

Key issues raised include the failed attempt to facilitate a three-way meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman. While President Christodoulides stated that his new proposals were received positively by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and that the five permanent members of the UN Security Council reaffirmed their support for the current framework of the Cyprus problem, Michaelides argues that the situation has deteriorated significantly since the administration took office. Both sides currently offer conflicting accounts regarding why the proposed tripartite meeting did not occur.

Michaelides accuses the government of either intentionally manipulating public opinion for communication purposes or demonstrating a profound inability to assess the political reality. He insists that the political leadership must be fully briefed on the specific developments and the current state of negotiations to address the ongoing stalemate.