http://www.washtimes.com/world/20060519-100904-1753r.htm
Communists expected to win Cyprus election
By Andrew Borowiec
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
May 20, 2006
NICOSIA, Cyprus -- Communists are poised to maintain their leading role on this
divided island when Greek Cypriots vote in parliamentary elections tomorrow.
The vote is not expected to change the political landscape on the
Greek-Cypriot side of the dividing line nor tangibly improve relations with the
Turkish-Cypriot minority.
The latest opinion polls give the Communist Party, known by the acronym
AKEL, 29 percent of the ballots for the 56-member House of Representatives,
while the conservative Democratic Rally (DISY), should emerge second with 27
percent.
The Greek-Cypriot portion of Cyprus is currently governed by a coalition of
Communists and the center-right Democratic Party, or DIKO, of President Tassos
Papadopoulos. Pollsters give DIKO 16 percent in tomorrow's election.
Voters in Cyprus tend to be attracted more by personalities than by party
platforms, which are usually similar.
Almost all of the 11 parties competing in the elections subscribe to the
concept of Cypriot unity, but not necessarily on the terms of the latest United
Nations proposal, which was rejected by Greek Cypriots in a referendum two
years ago.
AKEL itself is a conundrum to foreigners. Its membership is a mixture of
villagers, shopkeepers, the growing middle class and a sprinkling of rich
Cypriots.
Its influence is second to that of the powerful Greek Orthodox Church.
Despite the communist label, party members wholeheartedly embrace capitalism.
The unicameral parliament officially consists of 80 members, but the 24
seats reserved for the Turkish Cypriots have been vacant since 1963, when the
two Cypriot communities broke up with recrimination and slaughter.
The conflict split the island into Turkish and Greek zones and required the
dispatch of United Nations peacekeepers, who remain on the island 42 years
later.
Despite slogans of elusive unity, business circles appear to prefer the
continuing partition and an increasing number of Greek Cypriots would like to
formally "legalize" it.
U.N. peacemaking efforts have been paralyzed since the 2004 referendum, in
which Greek voters rejected a U.N. plan to reunify the island.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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