Centre-right Diko’s decision to back the independent presidential elections candidacy of ex-foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides was primarily because his manifesto includes 18 positions that are in full agreement with the kingmaker parliamentary party.
This was the gist of the lengthy speech Diko leader Nicolas Papadopoulos gave on Sunday before the party’s central committee which has almost unanimously decided to support the ruling Disy-affiliated candidate.
The central committee voted in favour with 132 votes and only one abstention – that of Larnaca MP Christos Orphanides.
Papadopoulos first described Christodoulides as an “honest”, “non-confrontational” man” and then underlined that the party’s goal was always to achieve the widest possible collaborations. So as to bring the much-needed change in February 2023.
Society, he added, demanded a different, independent, candidacy that unites and does not divide, that serves its own priorities and not party agendas.
Papadopoulos also acknowledged that Diko had had disagreements with Christodoulides in the past on important issues when he was part of the current government.
But, he stressed, they are ready to put aside disagreements of the past and focus on the future
Christodoulides announced his candidacy for the presidential elections on May 12 in a wide-ranging address to the public from social media.
