Nikos Anastasiades, former President of the Republic and former President of DISY, spoke of “sudden decisions that have created an unpleasant atmosphere,” when asked to comment on Averof Neophytou’s announcement that he would run in the 2028 presidential election. Speaking on “Sigma” TV, he noted that these developments are causing bitterness among the party’s friends and supporters and expressed the view that “this is not the way to resolve any differences that may have arisen during a negotiation process.”
“What is most important for any leader—whether a long-time party leader or the current leadership—is level-headedness, consensus, and the avoidance of actions that do nothing but risk division and cause distress among members; and in any case, it is a procedure that is unacceptable under the party’s bylaws. That is not how differences are resolved; they are resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding.”
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He acknowledged that Averof Neophytou had every right to express his intention to run for office, but he pointed out that the way the situation was handled is not consistent with how the party should operate.
He had every right, but not like that…
When asked to comment on the fact that Averof Neophytou’s intentions were already known, Nicos Anastasiades replied that “he had every right to do so,” noting, however, that the former DISY president had always been a staunch advocate of adhering to statutory procedures.
He even mentioned the meeting that—according to Averof Neophytou himself—had taken place beforehand with party president Annita Dimitriou, emphasizing that, regardless of what was agreed upon, “the whole situation is not the way the party’s affairs should be handled.”
We put the cart before the horse
The former president outlined a different approach to the strategy he believes DISY should follow in the run-up to the presidential election. As he said, the priority should be to explore possible political alliances, and only if the party decides to run independently should the discussion about the candidate’s identity begin.
“We’re going about this the wrong way. We’re deciding that someone from the Democratic Alarm will run for president without taking the balance of power into account,” he noted, concluding that “unfortunately, we’ve put the cart before the horse.”
Personal ambitions come after unity
Responding to a question about whether Averof Neophytou should participate in DISY’s statutory procedures, Nicos Anastasiades referred to the decisions of the collective bodies.
He emphasized that, if it is decided to follow democratic procedures—a position which, as he noted, Mr. Neophytou himself supported — then there is no cause for concern regarding the race for the nomination.
At the same time, he sent a message to all sides, saying that “party unity and the party’s strength—which also helps the country—take precedence over personal ambitions.”
Against Expulsions
His position was also clear regarding the possibility of imposing disciplinary action on Averof Neophytou. Although he emphasized that such decisions are the purview of collective bodies, he recalled that during his own leadership he never proceeded with expulsions or accusations of treason, citing Alekos Markidis’s candidacy in 2003 as an example.
When asked directly whether he considers it a major mistake that in 2023 the then-leadership of DISY and Averof Neophytou spoke of Nikos Christodoulides’ “betrayal,” he replied emphatically: “Without a doubt, without a doubt.” He clarified, in fact, that his position has nothing to do with the support he provided to Mr. Christodoulides in the second round of the 2023 presidential election, but with the way he believes intra-party differences should be addressed.
It could even be the government
As for DISY’s stance toward the Christodoulides government, Nikos Anastasiades refrained from interfering in the current leadership’s decisions, noting that decisions are made by collective bodies and must be respected. “The key is for the opposition to be constructive,” he said, adding that he does not wish for his personal views to influence the party’s course.
Finally, when asked whether DISY could return to power following the latest developments, he appeared optimistic, saying, “If the right steps are taken, certainly. It could even form a government.” The former President noted that he intends to remain removed from the day-to-day operations of DISY, expressing his hope to see the party he served for nearly five decades “progress, grow stronger, and make the right patriotic decisions.”
