Akel members on Sunday will vote on seven proposed changes to the party’s structure, which are aimed at modernising the party.
Among those changes are direct election of the party’s leader by the party’s congress instead of its central committee, a hard limit of two terms in office for both MPs and MEPs representing the party, and a new procedure for deciding who the party will endorse at future Presidential elections.
Members will also vote on changes to quotas to allow more party volunteers to sit on the central committee, the abolition of the current vetting process for candidates, a reduction in the number of candidates the central committee can nominate in elections, and banning sitting elected officials from leading local party offices.
The changes were formally introduced to the party’s congress by party leader Stefanos Stefanou on Sunday morning.
He told members that the proposed changes “result primarily from the need to respond to the new social reality which is forming around us and to the messages we are being sent from our own party base.”
He added that Akel “has no right to remain static and be overcome by the passage of time. It must correct its mistakes and weaknesses and boldly criticise itself, keeping pace with society and the times.”
“It must be modernised and renewed so that it can face new challenges and fight against anti-popular and anti-social policies,” he said.
He later said the changes are Akel’s opportunity to “renew its mandate for the next 100 years”.
“The main objective of these changes is to entrench our internal party democracy by strengthening the role and voice of our members in the discussion and decision-making processes inside our party,” he said.
Akel members will vote on the changes later on Sunday.
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