Cypriots vote on Sunday for the second round of a presidential election with an uncertain outcome between two diplomats, whose winner will have the mission to fight against inflation and corruption, and to relaunch peace talks on the Mediterranean island divided.
At 3 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), the turnout was 55%, slightly lower than in the first round, according to official figures.
Polling stations close at 6 p.m. (4 p.m. GMT), and official results are expected by 9 p.m. (7 p.m. GMT).
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The ballot promises to be tight: Nikos Christodoulides, 49, head of diplomacy between 2018 and 2022, came first on February 5 with 32.04% of the vote, slightly ahead of another seasoned diplomat, Andreas Mavroyiannis, 66 (29.59%), former ambassador to France and Ireland.
The first, supported by the centrist parties, like the second, supported by the communist party Akel, the first opposition force in the country, are presenting themselves as independent candidates.
"
The Cypriot people know what is at stake (...) I have full confidence in their judgement
," Nikos Christodoulides told reporters.
"
It is time to turn the page for a new, united, European Cyprus, and Cyprus will be victorious with us
," said Andreas Mavroyiannis.
Communists heavily criticized
According to Fiona Mullen, an analyst at consultancy firm Sapienta Economics in Nicosia, the outcome of the vote will partly depend on Andreas Mavroyiannis' ability to convince the Communists not to take over the economy if he wins. at a time when rising energy and food prices remain at the top of Cypriots' concerns.
The Communists have been widely criticized for their handling of the 2012-2013 financial crisis, which almost precipitated Cyprus, a member of the euro zone, into bankruptcy.
Inflation reached 10.9% in 2022, before slowing in January to 7.1%.
To reassure, the candidate announced in advance the name of the person who would be his Minister of the Economy.
He chose a well-known jurist, Charalambos Prountzos, an expert in business and energy law.
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The future president will also be called upon to relaunch peace talks, which have been stalled since 2017. The island of Cyprus, which joined the European Union in 2004, has been divided since Turkey's invasion in 1974 of its northern third , in response to a coup by Cypriot-Greek nationalists who wanted to reunite the country with Greece.
The Republic of Cyprus only exercises authority over the southern part of the island, separated by the Green Line, a UN-controlled demilitarized zone, from the self-proclaimed and recognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) only via Ankara, where the Turkish-Cypriots live.
Nikos Mavroyiannis, former head of Cypriot-Greek negotiators in the reunification talks (2013-2022), has promised if elected to reopen talks from day one.
Andreas Christodoulides displays a tougher position.
