With just days to go before the parliamentary elections on May 24, political tensions are rising. At the same time officials confirm that 568,587 registered voters will be eligible to cast their ballots across the island.
According to the Chief Returning Officer, a total of 1,217 polling stations will operate nationwide, covering all electoral districts. The largest share of voters is in Nicosia with 198,553, followed by Limassol (116,924), Famagusta (116,392), Larnaca (60,489), Paphos (47,384), and Kyrenia (28,845).
Authorities have also activated the ‘Where Do I Vote’ service, allowing citizens to locate their polling station through a website, SMS service, or a telephone hotline. Officials emphasized that the publication of opinion polls will be prohibited seven days before the election, meaning any new surveys must be released by midnight on May 16, 2026.
Campaigns intensify
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Political parties have stepped up campaign activities, sharpening their rhetoric in a bid to secure voter support.
The Democratic Rally (DISY) has placed strong emphasis on defence and culture. In a press release, the party argued that amid geopolitical instability, wars, hybrid threats, and challenges to sovereign rights, the Republic of Cyprus needs robust defence, strategic alliances, and a clear European and Western orientation. DISY called on Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) and newer political formations to clarify whether they support increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP and fully utilizing the European SAFE program.
In a separate announcement, DISY said the upcoming elections are not only about political representation but also about shaping a vision for Cyprus centered on artistic creation and cultural development. The party stressed that culture is not a luxury for a few but a vital social good, noting that while 35 policies and 64 projects have already been implemented in the cultural sector, further institutional support for artists remains pending.
AKEL, on its part, has focused on economic pressures and governance issues. Party leader, Stefanos Stefanou, warned that high energy costs are placing significant strain on businesses and domestic production, especially amid instability linked to developments in the Persian Gulf. He called for coordination between the state and the private sector to address these challenges.
AKEL has also renewed calls for transparency, with parliamentary spokesman, Giorgos Loukaides, demanding the submission to parliament of details regarding companies that donated to a fund linked to the President’s spouse. The party argued that the refusal to disclose such information-allegedly backed by DISY, Democratic Party (DIKO), and National Popular Front (ELAM)-raises concerns about accountability and possible cover-ups. It also called for full answers regarding the ‘videogate’ case and the reopening of the so-called ‘black van’ investigation.
In another press release, AKEL rejected claims by Alma-Citizens for Cyprus leader, Odysseas Michaelides, that Stefanou was involved in the Vasiliko scandal, describing the allegation as ‘unfounded and dishonest.’
DIKO, meanwhile, urged restraint in political discourse, stressing that the children and families of public officials should not be drawn into partisan disputes. The party criticized Odysseas Michaelides, leader of the Alma movement, accusing him of attempting to reverse impressions from a recent leaders’ debate through daily personal attacks against DIKO President, Nicholas Papadopoulos. DIKO also recalled Michaelides’ previous criticism over comments concerning thePpresident’s underage children and called on him to apologize.
National Popular Front ELAM said that it will not facilitate AKEL’s return to power. In a press release, it claimed that AKEL is preoccupied with ELAM because it recognizes the party as the only political force that has neither supported nor will ever support its return as government of the country. ELAM added that its strength comes from tens of thousands of citizens through electoral processes, and claimed that it continues to grow its support within the electorate.
In a separate press release, ELAM condemned the vandalism of its campaign billboard in Strovolos, which carried the slogan: ‘No to marriage and adoption of children by same-sex couples.’
The Democratic Alignment (DIPA) expressed confidence about its electoral prospects. Party leader, Marios Karoyian, said he is optimistic that DIPA will secure representation in the new parliament, despite low polling figures. He pointed to what he described as a ‘hidden vote’ and questioned whether opinion polls accurately reflect voter sentiment.
Environmental concerns were highlighted by the Ecologists Movement – Citizens’ Cooperation, which criticized the handling of the recent foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, citing gaps in coordination, prevention, and communication with affected farmers. The movement also called for authorities to examine development plans in the abandoned village of Trozena.
Finally Alma – Citizens for Cyprus referred the project in Vassilikos and AKEL Secretary General Stefanos Stefanou, stating that ‘the alleged moral superiority of AKEL proves to be a fig leaf’. It added that citizens perceive that AKEL fights corruption basically under pretext and to the extent that its own interests are not served.