Ex-foreign minister Christodoulides wins Cyprus presidential vote

Turnout for the runoff stood at 72.2 p.c, marginally greater than within the first spherical of voting.

Cyprus voters have elected the previous International Minister Nikos Christodoulides as the subsequent president of the small European Union member state, together with his rival conceding defeat and congratulating him.

Christodoulides, 49, defeated fellow diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis with 51.9 p.c of the vote in comparison with 48.1 p.c on the divided Mediterranean island on Sunday.

Mavroyiannis, 66, advised reporters: “Tonight a journey has ended, a fantastic journey that I shared with 1000’s of individuals. I remorse we couldn’t obtain the change that Cyprus wanted.”

Christodoulides, who defected from the conservative ruling DISY occasion to run as an impartial, scored 32 p.c every week in the past in opposition to 29.6 p.c for Mavroyiannis, who additionally ran as an impartial backed by the communist AKEL occasion.

Extensively tapped because the election favorite through the marketing campaign, Christodoulides is seen more likely to take a tough line on moribund United Nations-backed talks on ending the island’s decades-old division.

Former high diplomat Christodoulides earlier voiced confidence a couple of win when he advised reporters: “The Cypriot individuals know and perceive what’s at stake … I’ve full confidence of their judgement.”

Rising costs

Voter turnout was 72.4 p.c with greater than 405,000 residents casting a poll, a fraction greater than within the first spherical.

Prime considerations for a lot of voters are the price of dwelling disaster, irregular immigration, and the island’s nearly half-century of division between the Greek-speaking south and a Turkish-occupied breakaway statelet within the north that’s recognised solely by Ankara.

However many disaffected voters merely regarded for “the least worse candidate – a attribute in most elections, however extra so on this one”, mentioned Andreas Theophanous of the Cyprus Middle for European and Worldwide Affairs.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish forces occupied its northern third in response to a Greek-sponsored coup, however voters appeared break up over whether or not the division was a precedence within the election.

Retiree Dora Petsa, 75, mentioned she expects the brand new president “to settle the Cypriot query”.

However Louis Loizides, 51, mentioned the nation has “too many inside issues” from the financial system to immigration, having taken in giant numbers of asylum seekers, together with many who cross the UN-patrolled Inexperienced Line.

‘Wealthy even richer’

The ruling DISY had been knocked out of the presidential race for the primary time in its historical past, and the conservative occasion’s resolution to again neither candidate threw the runoff large open.

Pre-poll favorite Christodoulides final week squeezed out DISY chief Averof Neofytou, 61, who got here third with 26.11 p.c within the first spherical, regardless of the incumbent’s endorsement.

Mavroyiannis shocked observers by beating Neofytou and shutting the hole with Christodoulides final week.

The brand new authorities might be below stress to root out corruption and tackle greater power payments, labour disputes and the struggling financial system.

Vasso Pelekanou, a 47-year-old lady, mentioned the brand new president ought to assist the center class, which she believes was deserted by the final authorities.

“The wealthy have change into even richer,” she mentioned.