Pressure mounts on Christodoulides after fire response fumble

The government's delayed response to the deadly Limassol wildfire is turning into a political headache for President Nikos Christodoulides, with coalition partners backing him but warning they won’t stay silent in the face of mistakes.

At a tense coffee meeting Tuesday at the Presidential Palace, according to Kathimerini's Oriana Papantoniou, leaders of DIKO, EDEK and DIPA made it clear: they’re not pulling their support yet, but they expect swift action, not only in rolling out fire-related measures but also in assigning political responsibility.

Christodoulides, already under fire for the government’s unpreparedness, appears to have taken the message seriously. According to reports, he’s pushing for immediate implementation of support measures and is even considering bringing in foreign experts to ensure an independent investigation into what went wrong.

Reshuffle talk reignited

The fire may have also thrown a wrench into the president’s earlier plans for a quiet cabinet reshuffle. Now, any shake-up will likely be viewed as an effort to assign blame or manage political fallout, making the process far more delicate.

While no formal discussions have been held with coalition parties about changes in the Cabinet, insiders say a reset is underway, with some ministers likely to be moved or replaced, possibly by the end of August, when the government traditionally gathers in Troodos to set national priorities.

Coalition jitters, internal rifts

Despite the united front at the Palace, cracks are showing beneath the surface. Within DIPA, internal debate has erupted, with one MP calling on the party to withdraw its support from the government entirely, calling it a matter of political and moral responsibility. The leadership rejected that, for now, citing the need for stability heading into next year’s parliamentary elections.

At DIKO, some voices are calling for calm until investigations are complete, while others have started to speak more openly about political accountability. EDEK, meanwhile, is preparing a list of proposals for the August 5 parliamentary committee session that will scrutinize the state's fire response.

All eyes on August 5

Next week’s joint session of the House Internal Affairs, Agriculture, and Environment Committees is shaping up to be a crucial moment for the Christodoulides government. Parties from across the spectrum, including DISY and AKEL, are expected to raise serious questions about how the fire was handled and what will be done to prevent another disaster.

Calls for more firefighting resources, greater coordination, compensation for affected residents, and an independent fire investigation are expected to dominate the conversation.

The bottom line: Christodoulides still has his coalition, for now. But the political cost of the Limassol fire is growing. What he does next could determine whether his support holds through the tough months ahead.