Cyprus’ former foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides has been elected president of the country in the second round of the presidential elections held on Sunday after winning 51.91 percent of the votes, according to official data after counting was completed.
Christodoulides’ rival, Andreas Mavroyiannis, obtained 48.09 percent of the votes, according to Cypriot public television CyBC.
Mavroyiannis himself has acknowledged his defeat and thanked those who supported him for «this beautiful journey» amid displays of affection from his supporters. «It has given me the opportunity to meet thousands of people and share the hopes and dreams of our country,» he explained in statements to the ‘Cyprus Mail’.
Mavroyiannis has had the support of the Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL), a communist party with great political weight in the history of Cyprus.
The exit polls already clearly predicted the victory of Christodoulides whose party, the conservative Democratic Rally (Disy), has divided its votes between the two candidates – 52 percent for Christodoulides and 43.5 percent for Mavroyiannis.
Christodoulides has dissociated himself from the ruling Disy to participate in these elections.
The elections have registered a turnout of 72.2 percent, as announced by the chief electoral officer, Costas Constantinou, eight tenths more than in the first round of elections.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
