New names of potential 2023 presidential election candidates that could be jointly backed by the island’s major opposition parties Akel and Diko are now rumoured, Philenews reported on Tuesday.
Negotiations on a possible alliance between leftwing Akel and centre Diko are expected to round up soon – possibly by next week the latest, insiders also said.
And two new names that could be put on the table are those of prominent economist Stelios Platis and Nicosia lawyer and businessman Christodoulos Vassiliades.
Platis had headed the citizens’ movement of “Message of Hope” which contested the 2014 European elections and had given his full backing to the candidacy of Diko leader Nicolas Papadopoulos in 2018.
Platis was and is a strong supporter of the possible cooperation between the two parties for the 2023 presidential elections so as to oust the incumbent right-wing government.
The circle around Platis but also of Vassiliades both made clear that the tow possible runners have not been approached by officials of either Diko or Akel.
Other possible runners who could get the blessing of both parties and possibly the majority of the island’s vote is human rights expert Achilleas Demetriades, Diko’s top ranking member Christiana Erotocritou, former foreign minister Erato Kozakou Marcouli and Cyprus University rector Tasos Christofides.
