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Abstract
The chief characteristic of this election was the significant rise in abstention, suggesting citizens' disengagement. The loss of influence of political parties is related to a long-term cumulative effect of disappointment arising from missed opportunities, including Cyprus's entry into the European Union and domestic shifts in power. Political leaders failed to secure expected benefits and offer new prospects that could mobilise and sustain participation. The article examines the background, the campaign and the results of the 2011 parliamentary election and refers to the potential impact on resolution of the Cyprus question.
Notes
[1] The names came from the Greek words for ‘yes’ (ναι) and ‘no’ (óχι).
[2] The data refer to April 2011, available online at: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/product_details/dataset?p_product_code = UNE_RT_M, accessed 30 June 2011.
[3] Source: Statistics Service, Republic of Cyprus, available online at: http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/index_en/index_en?OpenDocument, accessed 30 June 2011.
[4] The philosophy behind this was illustrated in the following statement by an AKEL spokesperson: ‘We feel big and provocative wealth should play its part for the state to emerge from the crisis and we are truly saddened to see political parties identifying with big wealth instead of making sure that everyone assumes their share of responsibility for the financial crisis’ (Cyprus Mail, 6 July 2010).
[5] The General Auditor wrote in a letter to the parliament and the Ministry of Interior that gaps and vagueness in the law made auditing a rather impossible task (Phileleftheros, Citation12 August 2011c, p. 17).
[6] The Republic is divided into six constituencies as prior to 1974 and displaced voters cast their vote for candidates of their constituency of origin.
