Meetings and discussions ahead of the presidential elections runoff are reaching their peak, with the two candidates, Nikos Christodoulides and Andreas Mavroyiannis, trying to gain as much support from parties, movements, and candidates that did not make it to the second round.

Independent candidate and former Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides is the winner of the first round of the presidential elections that took place on Sunday in Cyprus receiving 32.04% of votes (127,305 votes). Christodoulides is backed by center parties DIKO, EDEK and DIPA.

Christodoulides will face next Sunday independent candidate, former Greek Cypriot negotiator for the Cyprus talks and diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis at next Sunday’s second round of the elections. Mavroyiannis, backed mainly by left wing AKEL party, received 29.60% (117,627) of votes.

Democratic Rally President and candidate Averof Neofytou was third with 26.11% (103,755). Far right wing ELAM President Christos Christou received 6.04% (24,002) followed by lawyer Achilleas Demetriades 2.04% (8,124), leader of New Wave Movement Constantinos Christofides with 1.59% (6,321) and lawyer George Colocassides 1.33% (5,284).

All eyes are on Pindarus, where the DYSY Political Office will decide at 6pm what the Democratic Rally will do. It is the first time that DISY has remained outside the second round of presidential elections. All possibilities remain officially open, with some active or inactive members already publicly supporting one candidate or the other.

On Monday, the party leadership held successive meetings with the two candidates vying for the presidency in the second round. They first met with Mavroyiannis followed by a meeting with Christodoulides.

Mavroyiannis on his part met with Greens’ Movement leader Charalambos Theopemptou and then Achilleas Demetriades. On Tuesday he is expected to meet Constantinos Christofides and George Colocassides.

Also Christodoulides is expected to hold meetings with other candidates and parties such as the Cyprus Greens, Christofides and also Colocassides.

Far-right ELAM which ranked fourth in Sunday’s results, will send a questionnaire to the two candidates outlining the party’s political priorities and is expecting their positions before Wednesday evening, when the Central Committee of the party will convene to decide its course of action in the second round of the presidential elections. As the party’s Spokesperson, Geadis Geadi told CNA, the party will announce the Central Committee’s decision publicly on Thursday or later on Friday.

The Greens’ Movement held its Political Committee meeting on Monday night. Theopemptou told CNA, they decided to convene a pancyprian conference for Wednesday. In order to secure the support of the Movement, one of the two candidates must receive support from 60% of the members of the conference. The Movement met with Mavroyiannis on Monday and is expected to meet with Christodoulides today, he added.

Meanwhile, Achilleas Demetriades will announce his decision on Thursday regarding the candidate he will support in the second round.

According to CNA sources, Demetriades will set his 12 priorities for the two candidates and will decide accordingly based on the candidates’ response to them.

Christofides is expected to meet with both presidential candidates today, Tuesday. He is expected to announce his decision to support one of the two candidates after consulting with the 14-member council of his movement.

George Colocassides announced that he will also have meetings with both presidential candidates today, Tuesday, for the second round of the presidential elections.

He was scheduled to meet with candidate Nikos Christodoulides at 10 am, and with candidate Andreas Mavroyiannis afterwards.

He is expected to announce his position regarding the second round of the presidential elections, most likely on Wednesday.

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