2008 Cypriot presidential election

2008 Cypriot presidential election

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24 February 2008 (second round)
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Nominee Demetris Christofias Ioannis Kasoulidis
Party AKEL DISY
Popular vote 240,604 210,195
Percentage 53.37% 46.63%

President before election

Tassos Papadopoulos
DIKO

Elected President

Demetris Christofias
AKEL

Presidential elections were held in Cyprus on 17 February 2008, with a second round on 24 February.[1] The second-round winner, and thus the President of Cyprus for the next term, was Dimitris Christofias.[2][3]

The first round saw a close result between three leading candidates, Dimitris Christofias of AKEL, Ioannis Kasoulidis of Democratic Rally, and the incumbent Tassos Papadopoulos. Results showed Kasoulidis in first place with 33.51%, Christofias in second with 33.29%, and Papadopoulos in third with 31.79%. Christophias and Kasoulidis therefore participated in a second round on February 24. The elimination of Papadopoulos in the first round was viewed as surprising.[1]

In the second round, Christofias won with 53.37% against 46.63% for Kasoulides.[3] He was sworn in as President on February 28.[4]

According to the exit polls, Papadopoulos was voted for by 40% of "No" voters in the Annan referendum and 5% of the "Yes", Christofias by 35% of the "No" and 34% of the "Yes" voters and Kasoulidis by the 24% of the "No" and 62% of the "Yes" voters.[5]

  1. ^ a b "Incumbent eliminated from Cyprus presidential election in major surprise" Archived 2008-12-15 at the Wayback Machine, Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 17 February 2008.
  2. ^ "Leftist leader wins Cyprus vote". BBC. 2008-02-24. Retrieved 2008-02-24.
  3. ^ a b "Presidential Election 2008: Run-off Election: Official results". Cypriot government. 2008-02-24. Archived from the original on 2007-11-02. Retrieved 2008-02-24.
  4. ^ "New Cyprus president takes office with pledge for solution", Xinhua (People's Daily Online), February 28, 2008.
  5. ^ "Τα πάνω-κάτω με θριαμβευτή Κασουλίδη". Eleftherotypia. 2008-02-18. Archived from the original on 2013-02-17. Retrieved 2008-02-19.