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2008 Cypriot presidential election

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FieldValue
countryCyprus
typepresidential
election_name2008 Cypriot presidential election
previous_election2003 Cypriot presidential election
previous_year2003
next_election2013 Cypriot presidential election
next_year2013
election_date17 February 2008 (first round)
24 February 2008 (second round)
image1Demetris Christofias in February 2011.jpg
nominee1**Demetris Christofias**
party1Progressive Party of Working People
popular_vote1**240,604**
percentage1**53.37%**
image2Иоаннис Касулидис.jpg
nominee2Ioannis Kasoulidis
party2Democratic Rally
popular_vote2210,195
percentage246.63%
titlePresident
posttitleElected President
before_electionTassos Papadopoulos
before_partyDemocratic Party (Cyprus)
after_electionDemetris Christofias
after_partyProgressive Party of Working People

24 February 2008 (second round)

Presidential elections were held in Cyprus on 17 February 2008, with a second round on 24 February. The second-round winner, and thus the President of Cyprus for the next term, was Dimitris Christofias.

The first round saw a close result between three leading candidates, Dimitris Christofias of AKEL, Ioannis Kasoulidis of Democratic Rally, and the incumbent Tassos Papadopoulos. Results showed Kasoulidis in first place with 33.51%, Christofias in second with 33.29%, and Papadopoulos in third with 31.79%. Christophias and Kasoulidis therefore participated in a second round on February 24. The elimination of Papadopoulos in the first round was viewed as surprising.

In the second round, Christofias won with 53.37% against 46.63% for Kasoulides.

According to the exit polls, Papadopoulos was voted for by 40% of "No" voters in the Annan referendum and 5% of the "Yes", Christofias by 35% of the "No" and 34% of the "Yes" voters and Kasoulidis by the 24% of the "No" and 62% of the "Yes" voters.{{cite news |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217154235/http://www.enet.gr/online/online_text/c=110,id=75681688 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-02-17

Candidates

Papadopoulos (DIKO) announced in late July that he would run for re-election. In early July 2007, the ruling coalition (consisting of DIKO, AKEL and EDEK) fell apart due to a lack of consensus on a common candidate for the presidential elections; AKEL general secretary Dimitris Christofias was proposed as a common candidate by AKEL, but rejected by DIKO and EDEK (who both will support Papadopoulos' bid for reelection), which AKEL took as a reason to leave the ruling coalition. Thus, both Papadopoulos and Christophias contested the election. The Ecological and Environmental Movement (KOP) decided on November 18, 2007 to support Papadopoulos. The movement supported him in 2003 as well.

Furthermore, the Democratic Rally support MEP Ioannis Kasoulidis, a former foreign minister, and Kostas Themistokleous, a former minister of agriculture and environment, also contested the election.

Controversial MEP Marios Matsakis announced on 29 December 2007 that he would contest the election. Marios Matsakis was elected two times as a member of the Cypriot parliament and once as member of the Εuropean Parliament with the support of DIKO.

The Secretariat of the Movement of the United Democrats initially considered to support Themistokleous but at the end they supported Christophias to minimize the possibility of Papadopoulos' re-election.

Nine candidates were eventually approved to participate in the elections. Each candidate had to be recommended by one Cypriot citizen and supported by eight more.

The names of the candidates announced on 18 January 2008 were:

  • Tassos Papadopoulos, supported by DIKO, EDEK, Evroko, ADIK, KOP
  • Dimitris Christofias, supported by AKEL, United Democrats
  • Ioannis Kasoulidis, supported by DISY, Kinima Eleftheron Politon, Evropaiki Dimokratia, Laiko Sosialistiko Kinima
  • Kostas Themistokleous
  • Marios Matsakis
  • Andreas Efstratiou
  • Anastasis Michael
  • Christodoulos Neophytou
  • Kostas Kyriacou (Outopos)

Campaign

Second round

After the first round of the election and the elimination of Papadopoulos, the latter's party, DIKO, announced its support for Christofias although Papadopoulos himself stayed neutral. Christofias had offered three ministerial positions to DIKO, including that of Minister of Foreign Affairs, in addition to the post of President of the House of Representatives, while Kasoulides had offered five ministerial positions in exchange for DIKO's support. The Cypriot Orthodox Church leader Archbishop Chrysostomos II backed Kasoulidis.

Ecological and Environmental Movement on 21 February 2008 decided to support Dimitris Christofias.

Evroko, ADIK and Marios Matsakis announced that they will support neither of the two candidates.

Kostas Themistokleous backed Ioannis Kasoulidis.

Debates

On 26 January 2008 the three main candidates, Papadopoulos, Christofias, and Kasoulidis, debated on television. The debate was transmitted by all Cypriot TV stations. The three candidates were questioned by journalists from RIK, MEGA, ANT1, Sigma TV and CNC Plus TV. The debate started at 9.45PM local time and lasted 1 hour and 50 minutes. Each candidate had three minutes to answer each question and 1.5 minute for every follow-up question. The procedure was divided in 6 sections and, at the end of each section, each candidate had 3 minutes to give a short speech and 1.5 minute for a short comment.

On 14 February, a second debate was held. The subject of discussion was the Cyprus dispute.

Opinion polls

A collection of opinion polls taken before the elections is listed below. Beginning on 11 February 2008, no opinion poll is allowed to be published.

Polling FirmSourceDate PublishedT.
PapadopoulosD.
ChristofiasI.
KasoulidisK.
ThemistokleousM.
Matsakis
Symmetron3 October 2007**32.9%**27.5%27.6%0.4%
RAI Consultants19 November 200733%28.5%27.8%0.4%
Public Isuue PIK21 November 2007**31%**30%29%1%
Noverna22 November 2007**30.1%**28.4%27.1%1.2%
RAI Consultantsdate=August 2017bot=InternetArchiveBotfix-attempted=yes }}25 December 2007**32.7%**28.7%26.2%1.2%
Noverna17 January 200830.3%29.1%**30.5%**0.1%2.2%
Noverna23 January 2008**30.5%**30.0%30.1%0.3%2.2%
Public Issue-RIK7 February 2008**34.0%**33.5%30.5%0.1%2.0%

Results

Geographical distribution

File:Casoulides.jpg|Kasoulidis' distribution (1st round) (in Greek) File:Christophias.jpg|Christofias' distribution (1st round) (in Greek) File:Papadopoullos.jpg|Papadopoulos' distribution (1st round) (in Greek) File:Casoulides-2.jpg|Kasoulidis' distribution (2nd round) (in Greek) File:Christophias-2.jpg|Christofias' distribution (2nd round) (in Greek) File:Comparative.jpg|Final distribution (2nd round) (in Greek)

References

References

  1. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/17/news/Cyprus-Election.php "Incumbent eliminated from Cyprus presidential election in major surprise"] {{Webarchive. link. (2008-12-15 , Associated Press (''International Herald Tribune''), 17 February 2008.)
  2. (2008-02-24). "Leftist leader wins Cyprus vote". [[BBC]].
  3. (2008-02-24). "Presidential Election 2008: Run-off Election: Official results". Cypriot government.
  4. He was sworn in as President on February 28.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080303075841/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/28/content_7689565.htm "New Cyprus president takes office with pledge for solution"], Xinhua (''People's Daily Online''), February 28, 2008.
  5. (2007-07-11). "Cyprus coalition government dissolved". People's Daily Online.
  6. (2007-11-18). "The ecologists decided to support the Tassos Papadopulos' candidateship". Phileleftheros.
  7. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/11/europe/EU-POL-Cyprus-Government.php 4 ministers quit after Cyprus' ruling coalition splits - International Herald Tribune]
  8. (2007-12-29). "Fiery MEP to stand in Cyprus poll". ekathimerini.com.
  9. (2007-10-12). "The United Democrats with Themistocleous". Simerini.
  10. (2007-10-15). "The United Democrats votes sensibly". Politis Online.
  11. (2008-01-19). "Μάχη εντυπώσεων στην υποβολή υποψηφιοτήτων". Simerini.
  12. (2007-09-24). "EDEK's bet". Politis Online.
  13. "The European Party supports Tassos Papadopoulos". Press release of European Party.
  14. (2007-10-11). "ADIK supports Tassos Papadopoulos as well". Radio Pafos 93.7 FM.
  15. (2007-10-15). "The United Democrats "vote" Christophias". Simireni.
  16. (2007-12-07). "Ο Κασουλίδης προσφέρει διεξόδους απεγκλωβισμού". Phileleftheros.
  17. (2007-10-23). "H Ευρωπαϊκή Δημοκρατία σε ανακοίνωσή της αναφέρει ότι η υποψηφιότητα Kασουλίδη προχωρά με προτάσεις για τα προβλήματα της χώρας". Η Μάχη.
  18. [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23250278-1702,00.html "Communist chief gains edge in Cyprus poll"] {{webarchive. link. (January 16, 2009 , AFP (news.com.au), February 21, 2008.)
  19. (October 2018)
  20. Katerina Zorba. (2008-01-25). "Παράθυρο ευκαιρίας". Politis.
  21. Marios Manousopoulos }}{{dead link. (2008-01-25). "Everyone declares himself as a winner". Simerini.
  22. (2008-01-24). "Τρεις υποψήφιοι προέδροι στην πρώτη αναμέτρηση". iKypros.com.
  23. (2008-02-14). "Ντιμπέιτ για τα λάθη και λίγα για το μέλλον". Politis.
  24. (2008-02-11). "Σταυρόλεξο για δυνατούς λύτες η έκβαση των κυπριακών προεδρικών εκλογών". in.gr.
  25. "News in.gr - Προβάδισμα Τ.Παπαδόπουλου και τρίτη θέση σε Δ.Χριστόφια δίνει νέα δημοσκόπηση".
  26. "Archived copy".
  27. "Electionwatch Cyprus » 13η Παγκύπρια Έρευνα Πολιτικής Κουλτούρας και Εκλογικής Συμπεριφοράς".
  28. "Greek Cyprus Presidential Race Wide Open: Angus Reid Global Monitor".
  29. (August 2017)
  30. (2008-01-18). "Three Candidates Tied in Greek Cyprus Race". Noverna / Politis.
  31. (2008-01-23). "Winner in photo-finish". Politis.
  32. (2008-02-07). "Presidential Elections 2008 Poll 19-29/01/2008". RIK.
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