Cyprus: Parliament, 22 May 2016

At stake in this election:

• 56 seats in the Vouli Antiprosopon (House of Representatives)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Nicos ANASTASIADES (since 28 February 2013)
• Head of Government: President Nicos ANASTASIADES (since 28 February 2013)
• Assembly: Cyprus has a unicameral Vouli Antiprosopon (House of Representatives) composed of 80 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• Members of the House of Representatives are directly elected by proportional representation and preferential vote, with members serving 5-year terms.[1]

Last Election:

• Elections for the House of Representatives were last held on 22 May 2011. The Democratic Rally (DISY) won the most seats with 20, edging out the Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL), which won 19. Aside from these two parties, the Democratic Party (DIKO) took 9 seats, the Movement of Social Democrats (EDEK) took 5, the European Party (EK) took 2 and the Cyprus Green Party (KOP) took 1.

Main parties in the election:

• Democratic Rally (DISY)/Dimokratikós Sinagermós
  • Leader: Averof NEOPHYTOU
  • Seats won in last election: 20
• Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL)/Anorthotikó Kómma Ergazómenou Laoú
  • Leader: Andros KYPRIANOU
  • Seats won in last election: 19
• Democratic Party (DIKO)/Dimokratikó Kómma
  • Leader: Nikolas PAPADOPOULOS
  • Seats won in last election: 9
• Movement of Social Democrats (EDEK)/Kinima Sosialdimokraton
  • Leader: Marinos SIZOPOULOS
  • Seats won in last election: 5
• European Party/Evropaiko Komma
  • Leader: Dimitris SYLLOURIS
  • Seats won in last election: 2
• Ecological and Environmental Movement (Green Party, KOP)
  • Leader: Giorgos PERDIKIS
  • Seats won in last election: 1

Population and number of registered voters:

·         Population: 1,189,197 (July 2015 est.)

·         Registered Voters: 545,493 (2013)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 581,843 (July 2015 est.)

·         Is Cyprus a signatory to CEDAW: N/A

·         Has Cyprus ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (23 July 1985)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 6 (10.71%)

·         Human Development Index Position: 32 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Cyprus a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Cyprus ratified CRPD: Yes (27 June 2011)

·         Population with a disability: 178,380