The Democratic Rally (Disy) on Thursday reportedly struck off the party register Nikos Christodoulides, on the same day that the latter formally filed his candidacy for the presidential elections.
A number of media outlets reported the move. The Cyprus Mail tried contacting the Disy spokesman for confirmation, but he could not be reached for comment.
Daily Kathimerini said it got through to a senior Disy official who effectively confirmed that Christodoulides was out. The paper recalled that, at its last session, the partys Political Bureau had passed a decision where they would boot out Christodoulides once he submitted his candidacy.
Also reportedly nixed from the party were three Disy cadres who acted as nominators for Christodoulides presidential candidacy Yiannos Ioannou, the deputy mayor of Engomi; Mikaella Messiou, wife of the Strovolos mayor; and businessman Pascalis Theofanous. Their names appear on the list of the 100 people who nominated Christodoulides.
Christodoulides, a longtime Disy member, served as government spokesperson in the administration of Nicos Anastasiades from 2014 to 2018. From 2018 to 2022 he served as foreign minister.
He resigned his post in January 2022 amid speculation he would run for president in 2023 without the blessing of his Disy party. In June, he confirmed that he would run for president as an independent, and has since been endorsed by the Diko and Edek parties.
Disy have made no secret that they consider this a betrayal.
Opinion polls consistently give Christodoulides a comfortable lead over the other candidates.
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