Government and Politics of Cyprus

Government Type

republic

Administrative Divisions

6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Legal System

based on common law, with civil law modifications

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cyprus dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDES (since 28 February 2023); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; the post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot head of government: President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDES (since 28 February 2023); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; the post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 12 February 2023, with a runoff on 26 February 2023 (next to be held in February 2028) election results: Nikos CHRISTODOULIDES elected president in runoff; percent of vote in runoff - Nikos CHRISTODOULIDES 51.9%, Andreas MAVROYIANNIS 48.1% note: Ersin TATAR has served as "president" of the Turkish Cypriot administered north Cyprus since 23 October 2020, following "presidential" elections held on 11 and 18 October 2020; results - Ersin TATAR 51.7%, Mustafa AKINCI 48.3%; Unal USTEL serves as "prime minister" of north Cyprus since 2023; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in north Cyprus, appointed by the "prime minister"

Legislative Branch

unicameral - Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Republic of Cyprus: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be held 21 May 2006); north Cyprus: last held 14 December 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS 6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19, DIKO 9, KISOS 4, other 4; north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party - CTP 19, UBP 18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and vice president) note: there is also a Supreme Court in north Cyprus

Political Parties

Republic of Cyprus: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; Movement for Social Democracy United Democratic Union of Center or KISOS [Yannakis OMIROU]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU]; Restorative Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; United Democrats Movement or EDE [George VASSILIOU]; north Cyprus: Democratic Party or DP [Serder DENKTASH]; National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Alpay DURDURAN]; Peace and Democratic Movement [Mustafa AKINCI]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]

Head of State

President Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS

Head of Government

President Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president

Elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 17 and 24 February 2008 (next to be held in February 2013)

Election Results

Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS elected president; percent of vote (first round) - Ioannis KASOULIDIS 33.5%, Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS 33.3%, Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 31.8%; (second round) Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS 53.4%, Ioannis KASOULIDIS 46.6% note: Mehmet Ali TALAT became "president" of the "TRNC", 24 April 2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results - Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is "TRNC prime minister" and heads the Council of Ministers (cabinet) in coalition with "Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister" Turgay AVCI

Constitution

16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in 1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the ""Turkish Federated State of Cyprus,"" which was renamed the ""Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"" in 1983; a new constitution for the Turkish Cypriot area passed by referendum on 5 May 1985

Independence

16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975

National Holiday

Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriot area celebrates 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

International Organization Participation

Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EU (new member), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Euripides L. EVRIVIADES chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710 consulate(s) general: New York note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Osman ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald L. SCHLICHER embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, 2407 Nicosia mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nikosia telephone: [357] (22) 393939 FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Capital City

Nicosia (Lefkosia/Lefkosa)

Location

35 10 N, 33 22 E

Time Difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

A mispronunciation of the city's Greek name Lefkosia and its Turkish name Lefkosa, both of which mean "White City"; the Greek name may derive from the Greek phrase "leuke ousia" ("white estate")

U.S. Embassy Nicosia Metochiou & Ploutarchou Street 2407, Engomi Nicosia, Cyprus Tel: 357-22-393939 Fax: 357-22-780944 Emergency after-hours telephone: 357-22-393939; wait for the recorded message and press 0.

Military Branches

Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Froura, EF; includes naval and air elements); Northern Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)

Service Age and Obligation

Cypriot National Guard (CNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; length of service obligation is 24 months