Emerging anti-EU sentiment likely to colour Cypriot votes

Country profile: CyprusCyprus will hold its first European parliamentary poll on June 13th. Contending for the six seats are 52 candidates from eight parties and seven independents, including a Turkish Cypriot professor at Istanbul University.

The electorate includes 480,000 Greek Cypriots, and 2,054 nationals of other EU member states, but only 503 eligible Turkish Cypriots. The Greek Cypriot rejection in the April 24th referendum of the UN proposal for the reunification of the island, divided since Turkey occupied the north in 1974, meant that only the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus in the south entered the EU on May 1st. The breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in the north, which would have had two seats if the island had been reunited, remains outside. Nevertheless, Turkish Cypriots were invited to register, stand, and vote.

The outcome of the election is likely to reflect the dark mood in the south where 76 per cent of Greek Cypriots voted "no" in the referendum. They resent criticism of their stance from the UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, and US, British, and EU officials and politicians. Greek Cypriots argue that the plan needs to be amended and its implementation guaranteed before they will approve it. Negative comments on the Greek Cypriot position by EU figures and EU praise of the Turkish Cypriots, 65 per cent of whom voted for the UN plan, have created an anti-European climate of opinion in the new member country most eager to join the bloc, with Greek Cypriots complaining about rising prices and EU rules and regulations.

This could boost the already strong position of the parties which urged their supporters to vote against the plan. The leftist Akel, the largest party with 35 per cent of the vote, is expected to secure more than one seat. Its coalition partner, the small centre-right Democratic party of the President, Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos, whose popularity is very high, is likely to win one seat. The Socialist Edek and Greens could also benefit from their opposition to the UN plan. But the right-wing Democratic Rally, the second largest party, which pressed for a "yes" vote, has split into two factions and is fielding veteran politicians in the hope of winning at least one seat.