New Cabinet takes shape in Cyprus

Members of the new President’s Cabinet in the Republic of Cyprus were sworn in on Wednesday in Nicosia, as the Christodoulides administration took shape with many new faces but also former ministers and a Greek pop star.

The swearing-in ceremony for new ministry and administration officials and the handover of portfolios by their predecessors took place on Wednesday late morning, with the Cabinet then convening for the first time in a short session under newly elected President Nikos Christodoulides.

The composition of the Cabinet received criticism on social media after citizens accused Christodoulides of not keeping up some of his promises, such as 50-50 on appointments based on gender as well as leaving out former ministers and relatives.

Cabinet appointments had been the focus of media attention for several days, with some of them coming as a complete surprise, including Greek Cypriot singer, a former minister who served in his post two decades ago, and a person related to the president’s family.

Christodoulides, who ran on an independent ticket with main support from the center, told his new ministers during the ceremony that they would have no grace period and called on them to work with due diligence.