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 Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - the 24 seats assigned to Turkish Cypriots remain vacant; 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 30 May 2021 (next to be held in May 2026); north Cyprus: last held 23 January 2022 (next to be held in 2027) election results: Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - DISY 27.8%, AKEL 22.3%, DIKO 11.3%, ELAM 6.8%, EDEK 6.7%, DIPA 6.1%, others 19%; seats by party - DISY 17, AKEL 15, DIKO 9, ELAM 4, EDEK 4, DIPA 4, other 3; north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 39.5%, CTP 20.9%, TDP 8.4%, YDP 7.1%, HP 6.8%, others 17.3%; seats by party - UBP 24, CTP 12, TDP 4, YDP 3, HP 3, others 4

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 Nikos CHRISTODOULIDES

Head of Government

President Nikos CHRISTODOULIDES

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president

Elections

Republic of Cyprus: last held 30 May 2021 (next to be held in May 2026); north Cyprus: last held 23 January 2022 (next to be held in 2027)

Election Results

Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - DISY 27.8%, AKEL 22.3%, DIKO 11.3%, ELAM 6.8%, EDEK 6.7%, DIPA 6.1%, others 19%; seats by party - DISY 17, AKEL 15, DIKO 9, ELAM 4, EDEK 4, DIPA 4, other 3; north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 39.5%, CTP 20.9%, TDP 8.4%, YDP 7.1%, HP 6.8%, others 17.3%; seats by party - UBP 24, CTP 12, TDP 4, YDP 3, HP 3, others 4

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