Independent candidate and former Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides is the winner of the first round of the presidential elections that took place on Sunday in Cyprus receiving 32.04% of votes (127,305 votes). Christodoulides is backed mainly by center parties DIKO, EDEK and DIPA.
Christodoulides will face next Sunday independent candidate, former Greek Cypriot negotiator for the Cyprus talks and diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis at next Sunday’s second round of the elections. Mavroyiannis, backed mainly by left wing AKEL party, received 29.60% (117,627) of votes.
Democratic Rally President and candidate Averof Neofytou held third place with 26.11% (103,755). Far right wing ELAM President Christos Christou received 6.04% (24,002) followed by lawyer Achilleas Demetriades 2.04% (8,124), leader of New Wave Movement Constantinos Christofides with 1.59% (6,321), lawyer George Colocassides 1.33% (5,284), Alexios Savvides 0.60% (2,393), Charalambos Aristotelous 0.22% (866), Celestina De Petro 0.14% (574), Andronikos Zervides 0.09% (341), Ioulia Hovrina Komninos 0.08% (331), Andreas Efstratiou 0.08% (299) and Loukas Stavrou 0.04% (165).
Of the 561,273 registered voters, a total of 404,403 or 72.05% cast their vote. Abstention reached 27.95% (156,870). Valid ballots were 397,387 or 98.27%, invalid ballots were 5,346 or 1.32% and blank were 1,670 or 0.41%.
Source: Cyprus News Agency