DISY and AKEL neck-and-neck, as third place up for grabs

With just two weeks remaining until the elections, a Kathimerini poll reveals a crucially divided electoral landscape in Cyprus, marked by high rates of voter abstention and competitive races for the top political positions.

The survey indicates that more than 55% of voters might abstain from voting, reflecting growing public disinterest and disillusionment with the political system. Only one in three citizens expressed significant interest in the elections, highlighting a profound disconnection between the electorate and the political leadership. Key issues such as the rising cost of living, corruption, and scandals are driving this disengagement.

Despite these challenges, the main political parties, DISY and AKEL, are locked in a tight race for first place. According to the poll, DISY leads with 22.8% of the undecided vote, narrowly ahead of AKEL’s 21.6%. Both parties have shown resilience by increasing their voter clustering, with DISY at 72% and AKEL at 82%.

In the battle for third place, ELAM currently has a slight edge over DIKO, with 10.7% of the undecided vote compared to DIKO’s 9.1%. The outcome will likely depend on each party's ability to mobilize their base and attract undecided voters.

Energy Minister George Papanastasiou highlighted the ongoing discussions at both political and technical levels, stressing the need for a compromise solution to ensure the successful completion of critical projects like the Vasilikos terminal.

As the election date approaches, the final outcomes remain uncertain, with voter turnout and last-minute shifts in voter sentiment poised to play a decisive role in shaping the future political landscape of Cyprus.

[This report is an excerpt of the original Greek article written by Michalis Vryonides in Kathimerini's printed Sunday edition]

**Survey by: Symmetron Market Research, member of ESOMAR. Date: 20-24 May 2024. Coverage: Nationwide urban and rural areas, men and women 18 years and older with voting rights. Sample size: 800 persons. Sampling method: Random stratified sampling. Data collection: telephone interviews using a structured questionnaire. Standard Margin of Deviation: 95% confidence level, margin of error +/- 3.5.