Cyprus's future president will be appointed in a runoff. The conservative incumbent, Nikos Anastasi Ades, chose first ballot for himself, but he missed required absolute majority. In a week he has to compete against leftist challenger Stavros Malas. Both candidates are in favour of negotiations for reunification of divided Mediterranean island.

Anastasi Ades came in first round of elections to 38 to 42 percent, as state television station CyBC reported by calling for election surveys. The former health minister Malas refore accounted for 27 to 31 percent. The 550,000 voters are now called to elect ir new head of state next Sunday in runoff.

This is also due to support of candidates who were unsuccessful in first ballot, especially Nikos Papadopoulos: son of former president Tassos Papadopoulos, according to predictions, landed in third place. He is considered a candidate of middle.

The presidential election takes place six months after renewed failure of negotiations on reunification of Cyprus. The talks between Greek Cypriot Government in Nicosia and Turkish Republic of Norrn Cyprus, which was only recognised by Ankara, had been abandoned after initial high hopes in July.

Challenger Malas accuses incumbents of hesitation in reunification

Cyprus has been divided since a putsch backed by n military junta in Greece and a subsequent Turkish military intervention in year 1974. The 1983 declared Turkish Republic of Norrn Cyprus is recognized only by protection power Turkey and is also economically completely dependent on country.

The Republic of Cyprus joined EU and Euro 2004. Under international law, whole Mediterranean island, which has about one million people, is a member of European Union.

Anastasi Ades had promised during election campaign to revive dialogue with his Turkish Cypriot colleague Mustafa Akıncı soon. Malas is also committed to this. He accuses incumbent head of State of being too hesitant to act on reunification.

Many Cypriots consider Anastasi Ades to have saved small EU country from financial collapse and a severe recession. The President was elected in February 2013 – a few days before Cyprus negotiated a billion-dollar financial package with euro countries and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to be preserved from bankruptcy.

In return, taxes were raised in Cyprus and wages were cut, and unemployment rose sharply. In March 2016, Cyprus was able to leave International rescue umbrella.

Date Of Update: 29 January 2018, 12:02