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DISY could field its own presidential candidate in 2028, then end up urging voters to support Nikos Christodoulides in the runoff. That is the politically sensitive possibility behind a proposal by former President Nikos Anastasiades for an advance agreement between the two sides.
His suggestion is straightforward: DISY and Christodoulides would commit to supporting whichever of their candidates makes it through to the second round. But for voters expecting the party to offer an alternative to the current president, such a promise could make the choice less clear-cut.
In interview excerpts published by ANT1 on Oct. 19, Anastasiades proposed cooperation under specific, strict conditions. This is his personal suggestion. No agreement has been announced.
The distinction matters: he is proposing a pact for the runoff, rather than saying DISY should abandon its own presidential bid.
For readers less familiar with Cyprus’ electoral system, the practical effect would come after the first vote. If no candidate wins outright, the two leading contenders face a second ballot. Parties whose candidates have been eliminated must then decide whom, if anyone, to support.
Anastasiades wants DISY to discuss that possibility before committing itself further to a candidate. He disagrees with speeding up the selection process, arguing that talks about potential cooperation should have come first.
His concern is that the party could split. An advance understanding would seek to give the two sides a common direction in the runoff, although whether voters would follow that recommendation is another matter.
Anastasiades, who remains DISY’s honorary president, also said he would support whichever candidate the party chooses.
His proposal leaves DISY with a sensitive political decision: how to campaign for its own candidate while potentially promising, well before election day, to help Christodoulides win another term.
