DISY deputy leader warns party members against backing Christodoulides
Yiannis Karousos says DISY officials who support President Nikos Christodoulides must declare it openly and step down from the party's collective bodies.
DISY deputy leader Yiannis Karousos has sent a clear message to party officials who choose to support President Nikos Christodoulides, arguing that anyone who wants to stand by the President should say so openly and not simultaneously sit on DISY's collective bodies, as reported by Cyprus Mail's Greek-language coverage.
Speaking on the programme "Mesimeri kai Kati", Karousos first addressed the President's decision to appoint DISY MP Nikos Tornaritis to a government post, saying the MP "does not hide" and has made his intentions clear. According to Karousos, Tornaritis is a known supporter of Christodoulides and has long argued that DISY should take part in the government. He described the President's move as "significant" and claimed its aim is to hurt DISY.
Karousos turned his fire on the President's posture ahead of the next presidential election, saying Christodoulides is already in full campaign mode while DISY delays its own candidate selection. "Mr Nikos Christodoulides today is in full pre-election mode. For him there is no Cyprus problem, but we in DISY, respecting a process that exists for the Cyprus problem, delayed and are delaying the process with our main candidacy for the presidency," he said.
He added that during this period the President can move politically and reach out to DISY officials, saying the party had left Christodoulides to "run on his own, manipulatively, to bother us, to approach our officials". He made clear the issue is not only the President but also the officials who accept to work with him. "Whoever wants to go with Nikos Christodoulides is free to go, to declare it, but he cannot take part in DISY's collective bodies," Karousos said, adding that in his view such figures should resign from party organs.
Asked whether he favours stricter party discipline and even expulsions, Karousos said he is clearly in favour of party discipline, arguing people cannot act as they wish and then return to the party without consequences. He said the party's statute has now been amended so that anyone who runs as a rebel against the party's official candidate cannot sit on its collective bodies. He also said he will not reveal which candidate he backs, stating he will warmly support whoever is chosen by the party's base, and called for the selection process to be sped up, saying DISY cannot afford delays while the President is already campaigning.
What it means for residents
The infighting inside DISY is mostly a Nicosia political story, but it shapes how the island is governed in the run-up to the next presidential race. For ordinary residents, the practical effects are limited and indirect — though the timing of government appointments and the pace of party decisions can still influence which policies move forward.
- Government appointments: an MP taking a state post may affect how that MP's constituency work and parliamentary duties are handled until a replacement or arrangement is made.
- Election timing: if parties speed up candidate selection, voters can expect campaign messages and public debates to start earlier than usual.
- Party discipline: stricter internal rules could change who represents parties on local councils and in collective bodies, which may matter for local decisions.
info.cy editorial team. This note was prepared with the help of AI.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
