AKEL General Secretary Stefanos Stefanou addresses 2028 presidential election strategy

On October 18, 2026, General Secretary of AKEL, Stefanos Stefanou, addressed the party's Famagusta District Conference regarding the upcoming 2028 presidential elections. Stefanou explicitly rejected claims that the party is lagging in its election preparations, emphasizing that there is still approximately a year and a half left. He stated that the party's priority is to first establish a common programmatic base with other political forces and social groups that oppose current government policies and seek progressive change.

Stefanou heavily criticized other political circles for engaging in premature campaign activity, which he described as backroom negotiations over positions rather than addressing urgent public issues such as inflation, the housing crisis, and stagnating incomes. He argued that these personal ambitions and partisan maneuvers have led to a prolonged and unnecessary election period. The party maintains its commitment to the established goal of a bicommunal, bizonal federation for the resolution of the Cyprus problem. Moving forward, AKEL plans to continue its consultations with potential political partners to secure a unified platform before proceeding to the formal selection of a candidate, which remains a future step.