The Averoff Factor and the Obstacles to Her Candidacy
When, on April 5, 2016, the DISY Political Bureau excluded Anita Dimitriou from the parliamentary race, in favor of Volunteerism Commissioner Giannakis Giannakis, no one in the SYNAGERMIS leadership could have imagined the storm of reactions the decision would provoke. This was all the more true following the most unfortunate statement by the party’s then-press secretary, Prodromos Prodromos, that the decision was made with the elections in mind and not for the sake of a beauty pageant.
The Community Councilor from Trullon not only returned to the ballot, but, having won the public’s sympathy for what had transpired, she “swept” the polls and, with 4,006 votes, entered Parliament.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
This marked the beginning of a political career marked by meteoric rise. In just a decade, she was twice elected Speaker of the House and leader of DISY, and today she declares herself ready to make the leap to the Presidential Palace.
Anita Dimitriou aspires to become the first female President of the Republic. Only this time, her path will not be strewn with rose petals, as the man who contributed the most to her political rise now stands against her.
A Long-Awaited Decision
The idea of running for president had been swirling in Anita Dimitriou’s mind for some time. It was something that most people—both inside and outside Pindaros—knew about and discussed, albeit in hushed tones.
Her high popularity ratings, as well as her intra-party legitimacy following the triumphant—given the circumstances— victory of DISY in the parliamentary elections—were what “sealed” her decision to run in 2028.
The successive appointments of officials to positions as advisors, members of the shadow cabinet, and the Expanded Political Bureau, showed that, despite her public statements to the contrary, Anita was building her own “army” to follow her on the difficult path to the Hill. Her plans for the presidential election had been fully implemented starting the very day after the parliamentary elections.
The game, however, did not play out on her terms. Taken by surprise by Averof Neophytou’s Sunday announcement of his candidacy, she knew she couldn’t let him take center stage alone before an alarmed—and not only— audience. So, accelerating her plans, Anita Dimitriou was forced to fall in line behind the party’s former president, announcing 24 hours later that she was entering the internal party race for the DISY nomination.
A Definitive Break
It is widely acknowledged that without the help of Averof Neophytou, Anita Dimitriou would not have reached where she is today.
The first clouds in their relationship appeared shortly after her election as DISY President. Amid the unprecedented internal strife plaguing the party following the presidential election defeat, Anita chose to go her own way, keeping her distance from Averof Neophytou in an effort to avoid giving the impression of a president being controlled by him. She did not, however, maintain a similar distance from Nicos Anastasiades, a fact that seems to have annoyed the former DISY president even more.
Her stance toward him, along with a series of internal party actions, was interpreted by Averof’s inner circle as ingratitude and disloyalty toward the man who had supported her so much.
The final break, however, came after her reelection as Speaker of the House last June. Against the backdrop of what—according to Averof Neophytou—was discussed at the much-talked-about dinner, attended by businessman and publisher Chris Panayiotou, the former DISY President now appears to feel doubly betrayed by Anita Dimitriou.
He and those around him argue that the 40-year-old Synergism President should set aside her ambitions for ’28 and side with —Averof Neophytou, whom he describes as “wiser,” following the setback of ’23.
At the same time, figures in her inner circle believe that Anita Dimitriou does not yet possess the political clout and experience that, in their view, a candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic requires. This view is shared—always behind the scenes—for various reasons by figures who currently stand by her side.
The Challenges Ahead
The DISY President’s path to the ballot box should by no means be considered easy.
With the possibility still open that Averof Neophytou might run outside party procedures, Anita Dimitriou’s secure nomination is considered more or less a foregone conclusion. Even if Giorgos Pamporidis enters the race, the advantageous position held by the party president—access to the organizational structure and constant contact with members throughout Cyprus, all these years) leaves little room for a reversal of the situation. All the more so when the timeline that has been decided upon appears to be tailor-made for her. However, what matters most is the percentage of the vote with which she will secure the nomination.
Beyond that, with her candidacy, Anita Dimitriou will be called upon to navigate a series of difficult political challenges.
First and perhaps most important is the need to formulate a clear political narrative that sets her apart from the Christodoulides government. The stance taken so far by the Synergatiki leadership toward the Presidency has not created particularly clear dividing lines with government policy. On the road to 2028, however, it will be called upon to answer the question of exactly what different proposal it will present to the public.
At the same time, it will face off against Averof Neophytou, who, despite running as an independent, is expected to retain influence over a segment of the alarmist audience, putting intense pressure on his former protégé. Given this, Anita will need to use her platform and political rhetoric to speak for all those who currently lean toward Averof.
Finally, the shadow cast by the revelation of the dinner at the fish tavern is unlikely to be left out of the pre-election debate. The discussion surrounding what is alleged to have been discussed at that specific meeting, but especially the presence and alleged role of a non-party figure, raises a serious question of political ethics and legitimacy. To what extent and to what degree can non-party figures intervene in the shaping of political dynamics and decisions?
The Day After for Annita
The aftermath of the 2028 presidential election will be crucial for the future course of the Democratic Alarm, as well as for the political future of Anita Dimitriou herself.
Her election as President of the Republic would be a historic milestone, as she would become the first woman to assume the nation’s highest office. If, on the other hand, the election results exclude her from the presidential race—let alone in the first round—her political capital is expected to suffer, possibly irreparably.
The DISY party charter stipulates that if the party president is not elected President of the Republic, he or she must immediately convene an Extraordinary Pan-Cypriot Electoral Assembly to elect a new president.
In other words, a potential defeat for Annita Dimitriou in the presidential election would not simply bring an electoral cycle to a close, but would trigger a new internal party process within the Democratic Rally.
In any case, for Anita, the 2028 election will determine whether her political career—which began turbulently in 2016—will continue to rise or whether she will face her first major hurdle—an obstacle that will either be overcome or halt her upward trajectory to date.
