Parliamentary elections were held in Cyprus on 24 May 2026 to elect 56 of the 80 members of the House of Representatives.
The election marked little change for the largest parties, despite strong anti-establishment feeling among the electorate and the parties' internal struggles in their respective campaigns ahead of the vote; the centre-right Democratic Rally (DISY) led by Annita Demetriou (who won a plurality of seats) and their main rivals, the Stefanos Stefanou-led communist Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL), both retained the same number of seats and the centrist Democratic Party (DIKO) lost one seat compared to the previous election in 2021.
The election was marked by the relative success of the far-right National People's Front (ELAM) who became the joint-third largest party. The biggest impacts were on the smaller parties, in particular centrist parties supporting the incumbent president Nikos Christodoulides. The EDEK Socialist Party, Democratic Alignment (DIPA), and the Movement of Ecologists (KOSP) each lost all their seats, and so are no longer represented in the Parliament of Cyprus. They were in turn replaced by new political parties which entered the legislature for the first time; ALMA, who ran on an accountability and anti-corruption platform, and Direct Democracy (ADK), a party founded by a social media personality.
Electoral system The 80 members of the House of Representatives are elected from six multi-member constituencies which correspond to the six districts of Cyprus, with the number of seats allocated according to the population of each area. Of the 80 seats, 56 are elected by Greek Cypriots and 24 by Turkish Cypriots. However, since the Cyprus crisis of 1963–64 and the subsequent Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, no ballots have been held for the Turkish Cypriot seats, which are left unfilled. Therefore the House of Representatives has de facto 56 seats.
The election used an open list form of proportional representation. Voters were asked to choose their preferred party list then cast preferential votes for candidates on that list – one for every four seats available in their constituency. Party leaders (or other coalition leaders) are not required to receive preferential votes to be elected. Seats are allocated using the Hare quota, with any remaining seats allocated to parties and lists that cleared a threshold. The seat allocation for the 2026 election was:
Districts SeatsNicosia 19Limassol 12Famagusta 11Larnaca 6Paphos 5Kyrenia 3 Total 56
Contesting parties and candidates PartyIdeologyLeaderSeatsStatusLast electionBefore electionDemocratic Rally (DISY)Liberal conservatismAnnita Demetriou rowspan="2" Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL)Communism, CypriotismStefanos StefanouDemocratic Party (DIKO)CentrismNicholas Papadopoulos National Popular Front (ELAM)Ultranationalism, neo-fascismChristos ChristouDemocratic Alignment (DIPA)Liberalism, centrismMarios Garoyian rowspan="2" Movement for Social Democracy (EDEK)Social democracyNikos AnastasiouMovement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation (KOSP)Green politicsStavros Papadouris rowspan="8" Volt Cyprus (VOLT)Pro-Europeanism, European federalism, united Cyprus, progressivismAndromachi Sophocleous Panos Loizou ParrasDemocratic National Movement (DEK)UltraconservatismAndreas ThemistocleousALMA – Citizens for Cyprus (ALMA)Liberalism, centrismOdysseas MichaelidesDirect Democracy Cyprus (ADK)Direct democracy, E-democracyFidias PanayiotouActive Citizens – Movement of Cypriot United Hunters (KEKK)Green conservatism, Agrarianism, Social conservatismNikolas Prodromou
Democratic Rally The centre-right Democratic Rally (DISY) is the largest political party in Cyprus, holding 17 of the 56 seats in the House of Representatives. Following its defeat in the 2023 presidential election and internal divisions resulting from the independent candidacy of former DISY member Nikos Christodoulides, the party's stance as the official opposition has been perceived as ambiguous. Several of Christodoulides' ministers are active DISY members, and on occasions, such as the 2024 National Budget, DISY made fewer amendments to the President's proposal compared to the governing parties. This perceived lack of opposition has contributed to public dissatisfaction with DISY's role in countering the Christodoulides administration, which has faced increasing unpopularity.
During the candidate selection process for the 2024 European Parliament Election, DISY's internal elections resulted in one of the then-vice presidents, Marios Pelekanos, finishing second to last, excluding him from the six-candidate ballot. Dissatisfied with the outcome, Pelekanos resigned from his leadership position, citing a series of incidents that, according to him, undermined his standing within the party. On 22 March 2024, it was announced following multi-day discussions with ELAM (National Popular Front) that Pelekanos would be running in the European elections under ELAM's banner. This decision was condemned by DISY leader Annita Demetriou, who emphasised the ideological differences between the two parties. DISY subsequently removed Pelekanos from its membership registry. Pelekanos, who had also served as the government spokesperson during the DISY-backed Anastasiades' administration (2021–2023), ultimately became ELAM's Press Representative. Despite DISY securing a first-place finish in the European elections, their 24.8% share of the vote marked the worst performance in the party's history.
DISY continued to face internal challenges after the European elections, notably between Averof Neofytou, the party's former leader and its presidential candidate in 2023, and Nicos Anastasiades, former party leader and President of Cyprus from 2013 to 2023. In a podcast on July 8, 2024, Anastasiades criticised Neofytou's 2023 presidential campaign, suggesting that it had failed to resonate with DISY supporters, contributing to the party's defeat. He also questioned Neofytou's alignment with AKEL-backed candidate Andreas Mavroyiannis during the second round of the election, to which Neofytou failed to qualify. Anastasiades' remark that he did not want to "bother with bitter people," directed at Neofytou, prompted a response from Neofytou on social media, stating that the "bitter" ones were the thousands who had once trusted Anastasiades, along with broader criticisms of Anastasiades' handling of the Cyprus problem.
Neofytou also clashed with current DISY leader Annita Demetriou over the party's support for the Great Sea Interconnector, a planned HVDC interconnector between the Greek, Cypriot, and Israeli power grids. The project, primarily developed during the DISY-backed Anastasiades' presidency, has strong backing from DISY. However, Neofytou expressed strong disagreement about advancing energy projects before resolving the Cyprus problem and questioned whether the interconnection will actually reduce energy bills in Cyprus. This stance put him at odds with Demetriou, who strongly supports the project. In September 2024, when asked about Neofytou's potential candidacy for the 2028 presidential election—following his own expressed interest—Annita Demetriou responded that Neofytou had already been tested in 2023, and in light of the public's verdict, DISY should now move forward for the benefit of the country.
Prominent MPs Averof Neofytou, Efthymios Diplaros, and Harris Georgiades have announced that they will not seek re-election in the upcoming legislative election, in adherence to the party statute's 3-term-limit. However, they intend to remain politically active.
Progressive Party of Working People The Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL), the second-largest party in Cyprus with 15 of the 56 seats in the House of Representatives, experienced its worst-ever performance in the 2024 European Parliament Election, garnering only 21.5% of the vote and losing one of its two seats for the first time in its history. Despite AKEL's strong showing in the 2023 presidential election, with candidate Andreas Mavroyiannis surpassing polling expectations, internal tensions have emerged since then.
Irene Charalambidou, a prominent AKEL member of Parliament, has increasingly distanced herself from the party's positions, frequently voting independently in the House of Representatives. The rift between Charalambidou and AKEL deepened during the controversy over the dismissal of Odysseas Michaelides, the former Auditor General of Cyprus. Charalambidou is a longstanding supporter of Michaelides due to his efforts against perceived corruption during the Anastasiades administration. The MP is ineligible to run for AKEL in the 2026 legislative elections due to term limits, and there are widespread rumours that she may join a new parliamentary movement led by Michaelides, who has garnered popularity for his anti-corruption stance. An opinion poll conducted by RetailZoom from October 14 to 16, 2024, indicated that a hypothetical new party led by Odysseas Michaelides would secure second place in the next legislative election, receiving 21% of the vote.
AKEL rebranded itself as "AKEL – Social Alliance" for the 2024 European Parliament Election, following a merger with several smaller left-leaning parties. The party intends to keep this structure for the next legislative election, with its parliamentary candidates ranging from the political centre to the traditional left.
National People's Front The far-right party ELAM is expected to strengthen its presence in the House of Representatives, with opinion polls projecting a third-place finish, surpassing for the first time the centrist Democratic Party. Once considered a fringe movement, over the last few years ELAM has gained increasing support from mainstream right-wing voters. Notably, former DISY vice-president was appointed as ELAM's Press Representative, signaling broader appeal beyond its traditional base.
In January 2025, independent MP , who was previously elected with ELAM but later expelled for "inappropriate behavior", announced the formation of a new political party named the Democratic National Movement. The new party espouses a platform emphasizing religious conservatism, nationalism, and strong opposition to progressive social policies ("anti-woke"). It is anticipated to attract support from traditional ELAM voters, potentially impacting ELAM's projected growth. As of September 2025, this has not happened.
ALMA – Citizens for Cyprus ALMA (an acronym for Dignity, Accountability, Reform, and Development) is a new political movement founded in May 2025 by former Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides. Positioned within the reformist centre and opposition space, ALMA was established with the aim of achieving systemic restructuring and political transparency in Cyprus. The party has announced its intention to contest the 2026 legislative elections as its first electoral test, with Michaelides aiming for a strong parliamentary presence as a step toward a potential presidential bid in 2028. ALMA advocates for a federal solution to the Cyprus problem in line with UN resolutions and EU principles, and has drawn speculation about future alliances, particularly with MP Irene Charalambidou, a known supporter of Michaelides who has distanced herself from her current party AKEL.
Volt Cyprus