Newly elected president Nikos Christodoulides said his cabinet will be formed by new faces, people who have not served as ministers before.
Christodoulides secured 51.97 per cent of the vote on Sunday after a campaign race that has been awash with bickering, scandals and digs including his former party Disy becoming heavily fragmented.
Speaking from the podium, Christodoulides proclaimed “the Cypriot people have spoken,” and called on everyone to leave the past behind and look together to the future united.
He is now in the process of selecting the 16 ministers that will form his cabinet.
Speaking to the media after the victory ceremony at Eleftheria Stadium in Nicosia, Christodoulides said he already has in mind the right names for all the different ministries, even if he confirmed that they are not aware of it.
“I want young people and I want the cabinet to be split 50/50 between men and women,” he said. “But, most importantly, I will only select people who have not served as ministers in previous administrations.
“I am determined to create a government of broad social acceptance with suitable people from across the political spectrum and of course from the young generation of people, of which we are proud.”
Christodoulides said that this week he will hold conversations and meetings with the leaders of all political parties in Cyprus and plans to announce the name of the ministers forming his cabinet this week.
“Meeting with representatives of the different parties across the political spectrum in Cyprus, regardless of whether they supported my candidacy or not, is very important,” Christodoulides said.
“I will not only meet with the leaders of the parties who supported me, but also with Disy’s Averof Neophytou and with Akel’s Stefanos Stefanou. Hearing their ideas and concerns is a very important step in the process for me.”
A Disy internal party meeting is set to take place on Monday at 6pm to discuss party positions after Neophytou last week announced elections for the posts will be held on. March 11. At the time, Neophytou said he will run for president of the party.
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