THE EUPHORIA and disbelief spread across the faces of DISY supporters after Ioannis Kasoulides’ shock win in the first round of the island’s closest ever presidential elections was last night tremendous.
By 6.45pm, it was clear that Kasoulides had not only gone through to the second round, but was ahead of his left-wing rival AKEL leader Demetris Christofias.
“Ninety-five per cent of the votes are in. We’re in the lead,” one DISY campaigner told another, as she embraced her tightly.
By 7pm, DISY’s Nicosia campaign head office was swarming with people, smiles beaming on their radiant faces.
“I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe. We did it. It’s amazing. We did it,” people kept saying.
The message the party had already started sending out was that this was a win for all people of Cyprus and that together, united, much could be achieved to pave the way forward.
Already the supporters were thinking about how to get DIKO, EDEK, the Greens and Evroko on board.
“Papadopoulos wasn’t such a bad president,” one man told the Cyprus Mail.
“Ha, ByeByedopoulos,” said another.
The campaign building on Griva Digeni Avenue was heaving with journalists, police, members of the campaign team and DISY supporters, who had swarmed down to share in the celebration.
“Where’s the champagne,” someone shouted across the room, as soft drinks and bottles of water were passed around. Others crammed their mouth full of crisps and chain smokers dragged on their cigarette butts nervously.
The whole atmosphere resembled a party. Several people remained huddled around the television screens, not quite taking in the results.
“I still can’t believe it. We did it,” was all people kept saying, shaking their heads in wonder.
A lot of back patting, embracing, handshaking, cheering and flag waving was also going on. Some people hung over the balcony shouting joyously and waving their arms at the string of cars driving past below. Traffic was brought to a standstill, cars beeped and horns blazed in a spectacle reminiscent of a football championship win.
“AKEL is never going to get in now,” one man shouted out to no-one in particular.
“Serves that Syllouris right. Look at him now,” said another.
The reference was to EVROKO leader Demetris Syllouris, who broke ranks with DISY in 2004 over the Annan plan referendum and set up his own party. EVROKO backed Papadopoulos’ re-election.
“Thank you God! Thank you God!” one woman said sending up a prayer of thanks as she rushed downstairs.
Another kept making the sign of the cross and hugging and kissing everyone in her path, her eyes alight with joy.
Two men grabbed each other and held each other tightly.
“What we’ve achieved is unbelievable. Just unbelievable,” they said in unison.
Asked how he felt, another man said: “We were not very prepared for this.”
He walked off in a daze, total disbelief etched across his face.
“Matsakis is going to get the Ministry of Autopsy,” someone joked.
“What’s Omirou going to do now,” said another.
“Shut up, we want him on our side,” his friend responded.
Standing outside amidst the crowd, the vibe was infectious and it was difficult not to feel a bounce in your step, despite the drizzling rain.
Everyone was greeted with a smile or a hug.
Others clapped and cheered: “Ka-sou-li-des! Ka-sou-li-des!”
The sheer relief that everything they had worked so hard to achieve had paid off was palpable.
How do you feel?
“I feel good. Actually no, I feel amazing. This is amazing,” said a young man, who’d flown in from abroad especially to vote.
One little girl asked her mother: “Why is everyone clapping and cheering?”
Her mother’s reply was succinct: “Because we won. We came first.”
