President Christodoulides addresses early presidential campaign discussions

President Nikos Christodoulides stated on September 29, 2026, that it is premature to engage in discussions regarding the February 2028 presidential elections. Speaking at the Cyprus Forum in Nicosia, the President addressed recent internal developments within the DISY party, where leader Annita Demetriou and former leader Averof Neophytou have already announced their candidacies for the party nomination.

While asserting that every citizen and political entity has the right to initiate their election campaign, Christodoulides emphasized that the 17-18 month lead time is excessive. He argued that the executive branch should remain focused on addressing urgent national challenges in cooperation with the legislature rather than pivoting to electoral politics. The President further clarified that he has not yet made any decisions regarding his own potential candidacy for the 2028 term.

Meanwhile, the DIKO party, led by Nikolas Papadopoulos, is maintaining a cautious stance. DIKO has entered a process of internal dialogue, with final decisions on its electoral strategy—including whether to support Christodoulides, Neophytou, or an independent candidate—expected by the end of the year after the President presents his policy proposals for the next five years.