Alma-Citizens for Cyprus formally submitted its 56 parliamentary candidacies on Wednesday, completing the official registration process ahead of the 24 May elections in what marks the party's first-ever participation in a general election. Party founder and leader Odysseas Michaelides, who heads the Nicosia ballot, used the occasion to frame the vote as a moment of democratic renewal and to set out what he described as the party's core promise to the public.
"In a few days there will be the celebration of democracy. Today is the eve," Michaelides said after filing his candidacy. He described Alma's candidates as "clean individuals with experience in their field," adding that "we want to change Cyprus with boldness and a plan." He said the party's policy platform is built around 32 thematic issues and that "our policies do not limit the highlighting of problems." Calling for a civil campaign in the final stretch before polling day, he said: "Let us hope that in the next 18 days until the elections, we will maintain a good level of political culture."
A movement rooted in the anti-corruption fight
Alma was founded in May 2025 by Michaelides, who served as auditor general of the Republic of Cyprus for a decade before being dismissed from the post by the Supreme Constitutional Court in September 2024 on charges of misconduct. Michaelides has consistently maintained that his removal was politically motivated, and his departure from the post made him a focal figure for voters frustrated with what they see as a culture of impunity within Cyprus's political establishment. The party positions itself as a reformist, centrist force committed to the rule of law, institutional transparency and public accountability, and supports a federal solution to the Cyprus problem in line with UN resolutions and EU principles.
The party's 56 candidates were selected by Alma's transitional executive secretariat through a rolling process of announcements that began in October 2025 and continued through to April 2026, with candidates released in batches and vetted against the party's stated criteria of integrity, professional competence and civic commitment.
Candidates by district
In Nicosia, the largest constituency with 19 seats at stake, Alma's list is headed by Michaelides and includes a number of high-profile names. Androula Kaminara, a former representative of the European Commission in Cyprus and former EU ambassador, is among the most prominent. Other Nicosia candidates include Michalis Paraskevas, a lawyer and civic activist; Stavria Panayides, who holds a doctorate in molecular biology; Yioula Pitsiali and Panayiotis Evangelides, both members of the party's transitional executive secretariat; Voula Kokkinou, a legal professional; Frosso Emmanouel; Anastasia Kyprianou; Ioanna Vasiliou; and Dimitris Kyriakou, among others.
In Limassol, where 12 seats are up for election, the party's list includes Alekos Argyrou, Neofyta Evangelou, Daniel Aptel Malak, Miltos Papadopoulos, Skevi Papamiltiadous, Andreas Tsipis, Stella Symeou and Edmont Hagouila, a Limassol school board chair and former physics teacher with a background in the Ecologists movement.
The Famagusta list, covering 11 seats, includes Angela Malaktou and Stelios Foivou, alongside Vasilis Mavros, who stood for mayor of Famagusta in the last municipal elections and is now based in London.
In Larnaca, the six-candidate list features Petros Zarounas, an international relations expert; Konstantina Plysi; Stelios Liperi; and Maria Pelivanidi, among others.
In Paphos, the five-candidate list includes Christos Komodromos and four further candidates.
In Kyrenia, where three seats are allocated, the party fields Nikoletta Christodoulou, who hails from the occupied village of Lapithos, alongside two further candidates.
The stakes
Alma enters the 24 May race as the most closely watched new entrant of this electoral cycle. Current polling aggregates place the party at around 10%, which would translate to approximately six seats, making it an immediate presence in a fragmented House. The party has been the subject of sustained speculation about a potential alliance with Irene Charalambidou, the outgoing Akel MP who has increasingly distanced herself from her party and is ineligible to run for Akel due to term limits. Neither Alma nor Charalambidou has confirmed any formal arrangement. Michaelides has made clear that the 2026 parliamentary election is a stepping stone toward a presidential bid in 2028.
