Andreas Mavrogiannis considers the Rai Consultants poll—conducted on behalf of Alpha Cyprus and presented last night on the station’s main newscast—to be particularly positive, as it shows him leading in specific scenarios for the second round of the 2028 presidential election.
As a guest on the Alpha News program, Mr. Mavrogiannis expressed his satisfaction with the momentum he appears to be gaining, stating “This poll shows me as President” and by comparing current data with the corresponding period before the previous presidential election.
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SEE ALSO: Alpha Poll: Christodoulides Leads in All Scenarios for the 2028 Presidential Election, Amid a Fluid Political Landscape
When asked whether the percentages he secured in the poll reflect his personal appeal or whether citizens are responding with a potential AKEL candidate in mind, he acknowledged that part of his momentum is linked to the party that backed him in 2023.
“I think it’s partly due to me. But most of the people who supported me last time were AKEL voters,” he said, adding that he is unable to determine how much of the support is due to him personally and how much is linked to the choice of a left-wing candidate.
He wants AKEL’s support, but leaves open the possibility of running as an independent
Andreas Mavroyiannis reiterated his desire to have AKEL’s support, as was the case in previous presidential elections, without, however, ruling out the possibility of running for the presidency as an independent, provided the current momentum is maintained. When asked to comment on the possibility that the “Alma” might not support his candidacy, he described this stance as a tactical choice, noting that the political balance of power could shift before the election.
As he explained, if he decides to run, he will reach out both to political forces that might support him and to civil society. Citing his experience from 2023, he recalled that he began his election campaign with 7% support and reached 48%, with AKEL as the only political party that officially endorsed his candidacy.
“There is a vast space covered by civil society,” he said, pointing out that a candidate’s appeal is not necessarily limited to party-affiliated audiences. Regarding the possibility of proceeding without AKEL’s support, he clarified that the final decision will depend on the circumstances and dynamics as they unfold.
He also clarified that the process will follow two stages: First, he and his colleagues will decide whether they wish to proceed with his candidacy, a decision they plan to make before the end of the year, so that an announcement can be made in January 2027. Next, in accordance with AKEL’s internal procedures, he will seek the party’s support.
SEE ALSO: Alpha Poll: The Close Race for Second Place and How Annita, Odysseas, Christos, and Potential Alliances Are Shaping It
What he would do differently in 2023
In an assessment of the previous election campaign, Andreas Mavroyiannis admitted that he should have devoted more time to personal contact with citizens by making more visits throughout Cyprus. As he noted, he did not properly assess his physical capabilities and, despite his best efforts, was unable to visit as many places as he would have liked.
““Where I believe I should have done much more—but perhaps I didn’t properly assess my physical stamina—was that I should have gone to more places throughout Cyprus,” he said.
When asked whether this was one of the key lessons he had learned from the previous election, he replied that he would strive to be much closer to the people, placing particular emphasis on direct contact with citizens.
“I want to help my hometown”
The former negotiator was also asked to comment on the possibility of playing a different role in a future political collaboration, even if he himself is not a candidate for the presidency.
When asked if he could take on another position, such as that of Secretary of State, he replied that it is too early for such discussions.
“I’m not just starting my career. I have no ambitions. I want to help my country as much as I can and in whatever way I can. That is the key criterion that will guide all my decisions,” he emphasized.
PART ONE: RAI POLL: Citizens Evaluate the President and His Work
“The results of the trilateral meeting were very meager”
Andreas Mavroyiannis also commented on developments in the Cyprus issue, describing the results of the recent trilateral meeting between Olgin, Christodoulides, and Erciyuman as “quite meager,” which, he said, fall short of even the most basic expectations.
He assessed that the United Nations Secretary-General is attempting, until the end of his term, to keep open the prospect of resuming the process, through a new Trilateral Meeting, which is expected to be convened in November.
As he explained, António Guterres does not want a new informal five-party meeting simply for the sake of holding one, but rather wants the conditions to be in place so that it can mark the path toward substantive negotiations.
“The Secretary-General does not want an informal five-party meeting just for show or simply for the sake of holding it,” he said, adding that the holding of such a meeting will depend on whether the two sides can agree on a path toward resuming talks, as well as on the behavior of the guarantor powers.
PART TWO: Alpha Poll: Averof holds a clear lead over Pamboridis—How will Christodoulides’ voters cast their ballots?
“I would do many things differently from Christodoulides”
When asked if he would have handled the Cyprus issue differently had he been in Nikos Christodoulides’s position over the past three and a half years, Mr. Mavroyiannis answered in the affirmative.
Acknowledging that Turkey is the decisive factor in developments, he emphasized that Turkish intransigence has been a given since 1974 and is nothing new. “What matters, given a proper assessment and analysis of the situation, is what you can do to change things,” he noted.
At the same time, he criticized the government’s handling of the situation, arguing that the past three and a half years have been a period during which there has been no substantial progress on the Cyprus issue.
Referring, in particular, to the link between the resumption of negotiations and the modernization of the Turkey–European Union Customs Union, he wondered why this specific tool had not been utilized earlier, recalling that in the past the relevant discussion had been linked to Turkey’s implementation of the Ankara Protocol. “It’s just talk without any action,” he commented, expressing reservations about the effectiveness of this particular approach.
