Former Health Minister and architect of the island’s general health system George Pamborides seems to be the 2023 presidential election candidate to be supported by main opposition Akel party.
This is what insiders told Philenews following the left-wing party’s central committee meeting which focused on possible candidates and alliances.
Another decision taken by the Central Committee on Saturday provides no support to the candidacy of ruling Disy candidate Averof Neophytou but also that of former foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides whose announcement is imminent.
An insider said the final decision does not rule out the possibility of a former minister of the Nicos Anastasiades administration to be a possible runner for Akel.
And this strengthens high speculation that Pamborides is a serious candidate under consideration – even though there are central committee members opposing that.
At the same time, the proposal submitted in writing that party leaders from other opposition parties and possible allies in the upcoming election to be excluded from consideration leads to another conclusion.
The conclusion is that Akel removes even from discussion the name of centre Diko leader Nicolas Papadopoulos as a possible joint candidate of the two parties. A development which creates new facts in the dialogue expected to start with other parties shortly.
