Averof Neophytou finds himself betrayed by his own party and must now decide how to move forward and with whom
“Heroes are forgotten, but traitors are never forgotten,” Averof Neophytou said emphatically after being eliminated from the second round of the 2023 presidential election, Averof Neophytou said when he made the decision to “go the extra mile” and support Andreas Mavroyiannis. A stance that was not limited solely to Nikos Christodoulides’ move to announce his candidacy outside of DISY, but also to his strong conviction that a parallel mechanism, with the blessing of Nicos Anastasiades, was working in favor of Christodoulides’ candidacy. And that this was essentially undermining his own candidacy. Today, once again making veiled accusations of betrayal, he denounces the lack of an opposition role within DISY, reveals secret dinners at fish taverns, and is running for President. He has, however, left open the possibility of running outside the party’s procedures. This in itself raised questions as to whether the spirit of Nikos Christodoulides had taken possession of Averof Neophytou’s body, forcing him to act in the very way he himself had denounced in 2023. At the same time, it sparked a debate over whether, in the face of his strong desire to be elected president, he has no limits—to the point where it doesn’t bother him if he is consumed by inconsistency and self-contradiction. Or whether he senses the resurgence of that parallel mechanism undermining his candidacy, which leaves him no choice but to go it alone.
He assembled a campaign team—he was recruiting members
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The scenario of an independent candidacy by Averof Neophytou was considered science fiction before the summer. Not only because, as party leader for ten years, he was the guardian of the party charter, a supporter of candidate selection by the grassroots, and a champion of party loyalty in the 2023 presidential race. But also because he himself was in a constant pre-election mode, assembling a campaign staff, recruiting members, and communicating with key party officials. A situation that sent the message that he had entered the process of vying for the party’s nomination.
The moves that raised eyebrows
However, two specific moves were needed to reinforce his belief that his candidacy was being undermined by the DISY President and other senior officials. The first move was the leak of opinion polls conducted on behalf of DISY, which showed Anita Dimitriou leading among the Synergatiki candidates. A move that was perceived by those close to the former DISY President as an attempt by Ms. Dimitriou to project an image of victory, just as had happened with Nicos Christodoulides in 2023. A steady stream of leaked polls showing Anita Dimitriou in the lead among Synergatiki officials would have reinforced the perception among the base that he is not electable and might have led him to withdraw his candidacy. This, in and of itself, was considered a low blow.
The second point was the leak that the executive committee was “pushing” Anita Dimitriou to run for office. Some officials—not the entire executive committee—who are close to her—including Deputy President Efthymios Diplaros—had told her that she herself should run as a candidate, since she is the most popular. It was precisely this clear preference of the executive committee—which will lead the election campaign—was not merely considered outside the bounds of institutional norms, given that, as party leadership, they were obligated to remain neutral in the face of the internal party battle that would follow. They made Averof Neophytou feel that even if he won the internal party process, they might still undermine his candidacy.
The Diplaros Chapter
It is not only that leadership figures who had stood by him on the 23rd raised the issue of his eligibility, but primarily the issue known as Efthymios Diplaros. Mr. Diplaros, who, according to the party bylaws, heads the DISY election campaign, not only showed a clear preference for Annita Dimitriou—with some linking this preference to his ambitions to assume the party presidency afterward— Nor is it because he added fuel to the fire with his recent statements that DISY’s membership registry was handed over to AKEL in 2023, but also because he recently advocated for an agreement to be reached now between DISY and Nikos Christodoulides so that whoever is eliminated in the first round would support the other. However, even after the announcement of Averof Neophytou’s candidacy, controversy arose because the party did not ask him to explain what he intends to do. In other words, whether his candidacy is part of the party’s internal processes, but the executive committee decided on its own to proceed with Anita Dimitriou’s candidacy and set rushed deadlines for when the party convention would take place. All of this was interpreted by Mr. Neophytou as a rigged game that would lead him to yet another defeat. Or it was used as a pretext for him to follow his own path.
A predetermined course?
The question is whether there is still any room for Averof Neophytou to participate in the party’s internal process. His initial statement—that he would run in the presidential election, raising the issue of the Cyprus problem—left open the possibility that he might also participate in the party’s internal procedures. Meanwhile, his statement that he himself did “everything in his power to ensure that Nikos Christodoulides runs within the party’s procedures” gave the impression that he wants to run within the party under certain conditions. However, his statements regarding an informal agreement at a fish tavern—something that was denied by the DISY President and the Executive Bureau—were the final nail in the coffin of the rift. This, combined with his remark that “the timelines for internal party procedures aren’t working out,” rules out such a possibility for him.
The Difficult, Lonely Journey
Averof Neophytou finds himself, for the third time, betrayed by someone he trusted and whom he promoted. First by Nicos Christodoulides, whom he promoted politically; then by Nicos Anastasiades, whom he believes undermined his candidacy; and now by Anita Dimitriou. It is worth noting that the former DISY President helped her get elected twice—once as Speaker of the House and once as DISY President. This relationship, therefore, led to two conclusions. The first was that Anita Dimitriou appeared ungrateful toward the person who had promoted her, and the second was that Averof Neophytou lacks sound political judgment. However much Averof Neophytou may present himself as a victim in the entire process of selecting the DISY candidate for the presidential election, what is certain is that both his statements and the possibility that he might run outside the party’s internal elections raise questions of political ethics, consistency, and credibility. The possibility of two DISY candidates —in addition to that of Nikos Christodoulides, who has significant support within DISY—could potentially make him the one primarily responsible for the party’s defeat. He will be seen as the person who, because of his personal ambitions, left DISY out of power for a second term.
Such a scenario would make his candidacy very difficult, as even if “Synergatiki” officials may currently view his candidacy positively, it is highly unlikely that they will come forward to support his independent candidacy. This is because they themselves would be labeled as splitters and as having reneged on the positions they held during the 2023 pre-election campaign. They may also face personal political consequences in the upcoming parliamentary elections or in internal party elections if any of them wish to run for a leadership position. Given this reality, Averof Neophytou—unlike in 2023, when he had a number of top-tier officials by his side—will find himself running without key figures or allies. Although he himself appears to be counting on the support of a segment of the progressive base (VOLT and part of AKEL), within ALMA, Odysseas Michaelides has made it clear that they will not support a candidate affiliated with a political party. While the former DISY president appears to be counting on the support of Pheidias Panagiotou, does not seem capable of rallying the entire, idiosyncratic audience of Direct Democracy behind a single candidate.
The big question is what Averof Neophytou will do. Will he follow the internal party process, act independently, or is he planning a third option that will save his standing in the eyes of the Synergatiki supporters and maintain his political consistency? His decision will determine both the momentum of DISY and his own political trajectory.
