quote: Communist party leader Demetris Christofias won Cyprus's presidential election on Sunday and agreed immediately to meet the leader to the island's breakaway Turkish-Cypriot community to revive reunification efforts.
(...)
Christofias' supporters poured into the streets waving red party banners and Cypriot flags and drove around honking horns. Christofias won 53.36 of the vote and right-wing rival Ioannis Kassoulides garnered 46.64 percent and conceded defeat.
(...)
Christofias will be Cyprus's first communist president and the only one in the 27-member EU. Although proud to be a communist, he says he will leave the free market economy alone.
posted 24 February 2008 04:28 PM
The reformist communist party of Cyprus, AKEL (Anorthotiko Komma Ergazomenou Laou i.e. Progressive Party of the Working People) had never fielded a candidate for the Presidency before but did sometimes play a kingmaker role by throwing its clout (as the buggest party in Cyprus) behind the left of centre candidate of the day.
Christofias campaigned on reunification of the the island Republic which has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. On electino night he stated the following:
quote: ``There is only one ideology: Cyprus and its salvation and a more just society,'' Christofias said in Nicosia last evening as supporters waved the white flags of Cyprus and the red banners of his party, known as Akel. ``This is the vision we will serve with all our abilities.''
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posted 24 February 2008 12:18 PM
