A record number of nominations were submitted on May 6 for the 56 (Greek Cypriot Representatives) plus 3 (Religious Group Representatives) seats in the House of Representatives for the upcoming five-year term, accompanied by numerous objections, while party coalitions leaders expressed optimism about the results.
According to the Chief Returning Officer, Elikkos Elia, 753 candidacies and 19 coalitions were submitted on Wednesday for the 2026 Parliamentary Elections.
‘A total of 753 candidacies were submitted, approximately 100 more than in the previous parliamentary elections, of which 744 are for party-based coalitions and 9 are for independent candidates,’ he stated.
The 19 political parties that submitted nominations are the Agronomos-Agricultural Workers’ Party, AKEL, Far-Left Resistance-Communism, ALMA-Citizens for Cyprus, Direct Democracy of Cyprus, Volt Cyprus, Democratic Change-DIMAL, Democratic Alignment-Cooperation of Democratic Forces-DIPA, Democratic National Movement-DEK, Democratic Party-DIKO, Democratic Rally-DISY, EDEK-Socialist Party, National Popular Front-ELAM, Active Citizens-Movement of United Cypriot Hunters, Ecologists’ Movement-Citizens’ Cooperation, Popular Struggle for Freedom, Patriotic Front ‘Lacedemonians’, “Sikou Pano”, and the Green Party of Cyprus.
According to the Chief Returning Officer, 529 candidacies, or 70.3%, are men, and 224 candidacies, or 29.7%, are women.
The Democratic Rally has proven that it is always there for the stability and prospects that our Cyprus deserves, as well as every citizen individually, said party President Annita Demetriou after submitting her candidacy in Larnaca on Wednesday.
AKEL is a guarantee of support and protection for society, said the party’s General Secretary, Stefanos Stefanou, after the submission of the party’s candidate list, and expressed his conviction that AKEL will achieve its goal of a stronger presence in the House of Representatives.
The Democratic Party (DIKO) officially submitted its list of candidates for the Nicosia district, with its President, Nicolas Papadopoulos, sending a message of responsibility and effectiveness to the public.
ELAM President Christos Christou, expressed the party’s intention to play a stronger role in the House after the official submission of his party’s candidates for the Nicosia district in the parliamentary elections of May 24, 2026.
EDEK President Nikos Anastasiou referred to the renewal and expansion of youth and women’s participation, in his statements following the submission of the party’s candidate list in the Nicosia district, noting that ‘EDEK is proud that 25% of our candidates are women and 60% are young people under the age of 45.’
The DIPA candidate list is diverse and high-quality, stated party president Marios Garoyian, after submitting his candidacy in the Nicosia electoral district. He also spoke about his decision not to run as a candidate himself, noting that this was a conscious choice intended to give young people space and opportunities to participate.
The President of the Cyprus Greens – Citizens Cooperation, Stavros Papadouris, called on the Movement’s supporters ‘to stand with the political forces that have proven over many years through their actions that they will continue to move forward with sound ideologies and sound principles,’ noting that the Movement will continue to stand against the prevailing ‘wave of populism,’ with its 30-year history as its ‘banner.’
We want to serve our vision of changing Cyprus with boldness and a plan, said Odysseas Michaelides, President of the Alma – Citizens for Cyprus movement.
The president of the Direct Democracy movement, Fidias Panayiotou, stated that the goal is ‘to give people the opportunity to join us in a peaceful revolution on May 9.’ He also said that Direct Democracy was created because ‘we grew tired of seeing politicians divided into left, right, and center.
We are optimistic that we will be in the new parliament, said Volt co-chair, Panos Parras, during the submission of the party’s candidates for the Limassol electoral district.
For the Democratic National Movement (DEK), it is a historic day, said its President, Andreas Themistocleous, calling on the people to vote based on political criteria.
Highlighting the Cyprus issue and the need for a ‘proper solution,’ the President of Democratic Change (DIMAL), Christos Clerides, said that the party’s goal is to speak out clearly against choices that may prove detrimental to the country.
The candidates of Active Citizens – Movement of United Cypriot Hunters – Refugee Action are fully prepared to fight for justice, truth, and reason, stated Nikolas Prodromou, President of the Movement, while Apostolos Apostolou, President of the Popular Struggle for Freedom, called on citizens to rally for the liberation of the homeland.
It is time to take the right path, which is the straight path, declared the President of the Agronomos – Agricultural Workers’ Party, Andreas Christofi, during the submission of candidacies for the parliamentary elections at the Limassol District Administration.
We want to put ecology on the table, said Kyriakos Andreou, President of the Green Party, adding that ‘we are a new party in the field of ecology, with no money and no machinery’.
We are running in the elections ‘as citizens for citizens because we believe that the state has no clients but owners,’ stated Sotiris Christou, President of ‘Sikou Pano’.
The President of Far-Left Resistance-Communism, Celestina De Petro, declared herself ready ‘to fight for all the wronged so that there may be justice in the world.’
Furthermore, the Patriotic Front ‘Lacedemonians’ is running in the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Nicosia district with five candidates, while independent candidacies were also submitted by Andreas Efstratiou, Alexis Makridis, Konstantinos Mavrommatis, Christakis Rotsidis, Loukas Stavrou, Marios Tenizis, and Christodoulos Christodoulou.
In addition, representatives of the Religious Groups submitted their candidacies for the upcoming Parliamentary Elections on May 24 at the Ministry of the Interior.
For the Maronite religious group, Marios Mavrides and Petros Nakouzis submitted their candidacies, for the Latin religious group, Antonella Lydia Mantovani, and for the Armenian religious group, Vartkes Mahtesian.
If no objections are raised within 24 hours, the two representatives who have no opponents will be officially declared.