Circles within DIKO are building support for the party to run its own candidate in the 2028 presidential election, possibly party leader Nikolas Papadopoulos, ahead of a meeting of its Executive Bureau on Wednesday, although the prevailing view in the party still appears to favour backing President Nikos Christodoulides.
The presidential election is not on the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting, but the growing talk of going it alone could spark a discussion outside the agenda.
The scenario is expected to provoke reactions within DIKO, which has a strong presence in government following the latest cabinet reshuffle. Running its own candidate would change the political landscape, but would also carry a serious risk of a split in the party.
Despite the voices in favour of a solo run, support for Christodoulides appears to remain the dominant trend in DIKO for now, particularly since the party’s presence in government was strengthened. Ministers from the DIKO camp have publicly declared their support for Christodoulides, stressing in every way that DIKO has a candidate for 2028.
Before any final decision, however, DIKO must assess its presence in government and the extent to which the policies for which it backed Christodoulides’s candidacy have been implemented.
DIKO’s ministers are expected to attend Wednesday’s meeting, and their presence is of particular significance.
The leadership’s official position is that decisions will be taken through the party’s collective bodies, as in the past. It is also understood that no final decisions on the presidential election can be taken while no candidacy has been officially announced. The final say on the party’s candidate will rest with DIKO’s Central Committee.
On the organisational side, a meeting on organisational development was held on Monday, and contacts with the party’s base in all districts are planned in the coming period to consult on proposals and assess the election programme.
There have also been efforts recently to deepen cooperation on policy-making between centrist parties such as EDEK and DIPA.
Wednesday’s meeting will focus on policy, with an agenda that includes the pension issue, the reorganisation of the party’s policy groups and policy-making.
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