AKEL starts procedure to choose new leader

THE RULING communist party AKEL will vote on who will replace party leader Demetris Christofias in two weeks’ time, according to party spokesman and contender for the top spot, Andros Kyprianou yesterday.

The Secretariat of the Central Committee convened yesterday to discuss the procedure for electing a new party General Secretary. The meeting, chaired by current leader, President Christofias, lasted for almost an hour and a half.

Following the meeting, Kyprianou announced that the party’s Political Bureau, which will announce the election of the new leader, will meet on January 13.

The Secretariat will propose to the Political Bureau to call for the Central Committee to convene in its entirety on January 21 so a new party leader may be elected.

The two main candidates for the top job in the communist party are Kyprianou and the leader of AKEL’s parliamentary group, Nicos Katsourides.

Christofias has said in the past that he will not come down in favour of either candidate. However, last week during a live television interview, the long-serving party leader laid out five criteria for any new leader, which appeared to weigh in favour of party spokesman Kyprianou.

Christofias said his successor had to have a clean public record, an impeccable private life and be modest, chaste and measured. Some observers argued this was a severe blow to Katsourides, clearly tipping the balance in favour of Kyprianou, who has maintained a squeaky clean image since entering public life.

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