AKEL’s intention to run for the Presidency of the Republic in 2028, with the goal of returning to power through cooperation among progressive forces, was announced by the party’s General Secretary, Stefanos Stefanou. Speaking on Alpha Cyprus’s program “Bras De Fer” with Emilia Kenevezou, he revealed that he has someone in mind who could be a candidate, without, however, disclosing a name, and described the qualities that candidate should possess.
At the same time, he gave the President of the Republic a “thumbs-down” for his handling of the Cyprus issue, accusing him of backtracking and arguing that he failed to convince the United Nations Secretary-General that he is genuinely seeking a solution. He also referred to the background of the discussions with DIKO in 2023 and mentioned the name of Giorgos Pamboridis, while also answering questions about the possibility of him running as a candidate himself, his political career, and the possibility of his departure from AKEL.
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“It will mark the end of thirteen years in the opposition”
AKEL is approaching the 2028 presidential election with the clear goal of returning to power, according to Stefanos Stefanou. As he noted, the party aims to present a concrete program for the citizens through cooperation among progressive forces and by identifying a candidate capable of advancing this effort.
“This will mark the end of thirteen years in the opposition, and we will now be the government,” he stated emphatically, making it clear that AKEL wishes either to participate in a government or to support a President with whom there is agreement on key policy choices, so that it has a say in decisions affecting the people.
When asked whether he himself would run for the presidency, he replied that this would depend on discussions with the other political forces. He emphasized that no one is being ruled out, not even a candidate from AKEL, while clarifying, however, that it is not a given that he himself will be the candidate.
“It doesn’t mean that I absolutely have to be the candidate. My ambition is to bring about change in 2028,” he said.
He has a candidate in mind
The General Secretary of AKEL revealed that he has someone in mind who could be the subject of discussion within the party’s collective bodies and in contacts with other political forces, noting, however, that his proposal will be submitted to the party.
He emphasized that the priority is to first reach agreement on the fundamental issues and then seek out the person who will represent this joint effort.
As he explained, the candidate does not necessarily have to come from the political front lines or be a high-profile political figure. However, they must possess credibility, consistency over time in their core positions, a track record in specific fields demonstrating their ability to handle issues, as well as an understanding of public life and social reality.
When asked about specific names, such as that of economist Tassos Yiasemidis, he replied that “no single name is in the running—all are in the running.”
Regarding Andreas Mavroyiannis, the former negotiator for the Greek Cypriot side and AKEL candidate in 2023, he noted that Mavroyiannis may be part of the discussion, without being favored or ruled out. He recalled that there had been cooperation with him during the 2023 presidential campaign and noted that Mavroyiannis positions himself as a champion of progressive change.
Who Will AKEL Reach Out To?
The process of reaching out to political forces seeking change is expected to begin within the next few days, with Stefanos Stefanou naming Alma, Volt, the Ecologists, and Direct Democracy. In the next stage, he said, parties currently holding their conventions will also be considered.
Referring to DISY, the General Secretary of AKEL argued that what a party declares is one thing, and the role it actually plays is another. He assessed that DISY is not convincing as an opposition party, since, as he noted, it has been “in the government’s boat” all this time.
Regarding Annita Dimitriou’s statement about mutual support with Nicos Christodoulides in the second round of the presidential election, he noted that he did not expect the DISY President to declare that she would support the Left, emphasizing that AKEL is not discussing second-round scenarios at this stage, but is proceeding based on its platform.
Regarding DIKO, he questioned how there could be cooperation with a party that is a key component of the government, given that the goal is political change. As he said, the priority is to build consensus with forces that can join together for progressive change.
What Happened with Pamporidis in 2023
Of particular interest were Stefanos Stefanou’s remarks regarding Giorgos Pamboridis and the discussions that took place in 2023, during the period of negotiations leading up to the presidential election.
The General Secretary of AKEL made it clear that the former Minister of Health’s name was never on the negotiating table with the party, nor was there any exchange of views with him on policy issues.
As he explained, Mr. Pamboridis’s name came up in discussions with DIKO, as various rumors were circulating and AKEL wanted to clarify this specific possibility.
“We could not discuss him, given that he was a minister in the Anastasiades government,” he said, adding that the same applies to other names being mentioned today.
Commenting on the possibility of supporting someone who had served in the Anastasiades government, he questioned how AKEL could convince the public of political change if it chose to support a former minister from that administration.
“Uncompromising” on Christodoulides
Stefanos Stefanou was particularly critical of the President of the Republic’s handling of the Cyprus issue; when asked to rate the President’s performance on a scale of one to ten, he gave him “fail.”
Explaining his position, he argued that Nikos Christodoulides failed to convince the United Nations Secretary-General that he is seeking a solution to the Cyprus problem. At the same time, he disputed the report that António Guterres had responded positively to the 19 proposals from the Greek Cypriot side, saying that this did not reflect reality.
Regarding the trilateral meeting between Olgin, Christodoulides—Erciyurman and the MoUs agreed upon for the opening of two new checkpoints—he noted that, in the view of both AKEL and the UN Secretary-General, the MoUs can help create momentum for the resumption of negotiations—something, as he noted, that has not yet been achieved.
He recalled that AKEL had submitted a roadmap prior to Guterres’s visit to Cyprus, proposing the preservation of areas of convergence and the negotiating acquis.
When asked whether he is on the same page as the President of the Republic regarding the Cyprus issue, Mr. Stefanou noted that Nikos Christodoulides has at times expressed differing positions. He recalled the President’s remarks about resuming talks from the point where they were suspended at Crans-Montana, as well as subsequent statements on political equality, emphasizing the need for a clear and consistent voice.
“We are heading into uncharted waters”
On the domestic governance front, Stefanos Stefanou painted a particularly troubling picture of the rule of law, arguing that institutions have been largely eroded and discredited.
As he noted, the institutions do not operate independently but are controlled by the executive branch, while he strongly criticized the Legal Service, arguing that it cannot operate objectively and that it has become a tool for covering up scandals.
When asked whether he believes the government issues orders, he answered in the affirmative, arguing that one cannot ignore the fact that the leadership of the Legal Service was appointed by Nicos Anastasiades.He made specific reference to the “black van” case, criticizing the invocation of the public interest without, as he said, any explanation of exactly what that interest is.
At the same time, he reiterated AKEL’s position calling for the resignation of the Legal Service’s leadership, expressing the view that there is no reason for optimism regarding a substantive restoration of the rule of law under the current government.
The Myth About the Economy
Referring to the economy, he acknowledged the significant upgrades to Cyprus’s credit rating and the positive growth rates, noting, however, that the economic situation should not be assessed solely through these indicators. As he said, the criterion must be whether the economy serves society, arguing that inequalities are widening and citizens’ insecurity is intensifying.
In fact, he cited data showing that the government’s revenue from inflation amounts to 260 million euros, while support measures are limited to 70 million. In his view, the government is not returning to society the amount it should.
He also criticized housing programs, particularly those aimed at young couples, describing the assistance provided as incomplete and arguing that the programs do not meet actual needs.
In the discussion on the 2013 economic crisis, he rejected the claim that AKEL is responsible for the “haircut” on deposits, referring to a myth perpetuated by political forces and an establishment that insists on placing the blame for what happened on the Left.
He argued that the crisis in Cyprus was a banking crisis and that the Christofias government had attempted to secure European support, while recalling that Nicos Anastasiades had been elected on a platform opposing the haircut on deposits.
He admitted, however, that not everything went perfectly during Christofias’s administration, noting that there were other factors that led to the crisis, beyond the actions of the government at the time.
When will he retire?
The General Secretary of AKEL was asked whether he had ever considered leaving politics, admitting that there had been difficult moments, though such a decision had never crossed his mind.
In the event of an electoral defeat in 2028, he noted that decisions within AKEL are made collectively and that he does not feel his position is at risk, adding that resignation is not a solution to problems or dead ends.
He also announced his retirement from professional life in about three and a half years, without clarifying whether this means he will hand over the leadership of AKEL.
At the same time, he argued that the party is now more politically mature than it was when it was in government, emphasizing that he evaluates himself based on whether he could actually implement the policies he proposes.
