Cyprus's parliamentary elections on Sunday have produced a tight race between the traditional centre-right Democratic Rally (DISY) and the left-wing Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL), with the far-right National Popular Front (ELAM) making significant gains to claim third place, according to an exit poll by public broadcaster RIK.
DISY is projected to secure between 22.5% and 25.5% of the vote, while AKEL follows closely with 21% to 24%. ELAM, a party with nationalist and anti-immigration rhetoric, has risen to an estimated 10.5% to 12.5%, reflecting growing public discontent over high prices, migration, and a sense of insecurity. The centrist Democratic Party (DIKO) is in fourth place with 8% to 10%.
New Political Forces Enter the Fray
Several new parties are poised to cross the 4% threshold for parliamentary representation. MEP Fidias Panayiotou's 'Direct Democracy' movement is projected to win 5.5% to 7.5%, while ALMA – Citizens for Cyprus, led by former Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides, is expected to secure 4.5% to 5.5%. The pan-European, federalist Volt party is battling the socialist EDEK for a seat, with both hovering around 3% to 4%. If Volt succeeds, it would mark its first-ever representation in the Cypriot House of Representatives.
Other parties, including the Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation, DIPA, and the Hunters' Movement, are polling below the threshold, with 2% to 3% each. The 'Other' category accounts for 6% to 8% of the vote.
Turnout stood at 61.2% by 5 pm local time, with 351,281 ballots cast, up from 56.7% at the same point in the 2021 elections. A total of 752 candidates are contesting the 56 seats in the House of Representatives, as the 24 seats reserved for Turkish Cypriots have remained vacant since 1963, when Turkish Cypriot representatives withdrew from the republic's institutions.
The election is seen as a key test of political sentiment ahead of the 2028 presidential race, and its outcome will shape President Nikos Christodoulides's ability to advance policies on the economy, migration, social policy, and energy. Although Cyprus operates under a presidential system, the parliament plays a crucial role in approving legislation, reforms, and state budgets.
More than 568,000 registered voters were eligible to vote at 1,217 polling stations across Cyprus and 13 abroad, including in Athens, Thessaloniki, London, and Brussels. First official results are expected shortly after polls close.
For more on the context of this vote, see our earlier coverage: Cyprus Votes in Tense Parliamentary Election Amid Political Fragmentation.
