Demetris Christofias | |
|---|---|
Δημήτρης Χριστόφιας | |
 Christofias in 2011 | |
| 6th President of Cyprus | |
| In office 28 February 2008 – 28 February 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Tassos Papadopoulos |
| Succeeded by | Nicos Anastasiades |
| 9th President of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 7 June 2001 – 28 February 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Spyros Kyprianou |
| Succeeded by | Marios Garoyian |
| 4th General Secretary of the Progressive Party of Working People | |
| In office 22 April 1988 – 21 February 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Ezekias Papaioannou |
| Succeeded by | Andros Kyprianou |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 August 1946 Kato Dikomo, British Cyprus |
| Died | 21 June 2019 (aged 72) Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Political party | Progressive Party of Working People |
| Spouse |
Elsie Chiratou
(m. 1972) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | PhD |
| Signature |  |
Demetris Christofias[a] (Greek: Δημήτρης Χριστόφιας [ðiˈmitɾis xɾiˈstofças]; 29 August 1946 – 21 June 2019) was a Cypriot politician, who served President of Cyprus from 2008 to 2013. He was previously President of the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2008 and General Secretary of the Progressive Party of Working People from 1988 to 2009.
Taking on the challenge of responding to the 2007-8 Global Financial Crisis, he implemented a popular and wide-ranging social program, increasing pensions and the minimum wage. At the end of his term, however, the local banking system collapsed. Putting blame on the banks, he attempted to raise taxes on them as a way of funding the island's recovery, but failed to pass this into legislation. Also citing deadlock in reunification talks, he announced that he would not seek re-election, becoming the first Cypriot leader to opt-out of running for a second term. He remains the only communist head of state in the history of both Cyprus and the European Union.
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