Former DISY president Averof Neofytou’s insistence that he intends to contest the 2028 presidential election has caused noticeable unease within the party, as officials consider the possible consequences of a candidacy pursued outside its established internal procedures.
The concern is not based on demands that Neofytou abandon his political ambitions. Rather, DISY figures insist that any candidacy must proceed through the formal procedures laid down in the party constitution.
Neofytou insists he will run
DISY Executive Director Onoufrios Koullas reiterated that position in comments to Politis.
“In such a case, the procedures required by the constitution must be followed,” he said.
In practical terms, DISY maintains that an internal election involving the party membership is the legitimate mechanism for determining its official presidential candidate.
Koullas was responding to Neofytou, who was again asked by Politis to clarify his intentions.
“If there is no significantly positive development on the Cyprus issue, I will be a candidate for President of the Republic in 2028,” Neofytou said.
DISY figures recall 2023
Despite the relative public silence of some senior officials, another issue is being raised behind the scenes within DISY.
Party figures are recalling the position Neofytou himself strongly defended ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
At the time, Neofytou fiercely criticised Nikos Christodoulides, then a DISY member, for pursuing his presidential candidacy despite the party having officially selected another candidate.
Neofytou regarded Christodoulides’ decision as a clear violation of the party’s procedures.
Several DISY figures are now pointing out that Neofytou could find himself following the same path he condemned in 2023.
Having been one of Christodoulides’ strongest critics over his decision to proceed outside the party’s choice, Neofytou, himself a former DISY president, now appears prepared to pursue a similar course regardless of the eventual decision of the party membership and collective bodies.
Cyprus developments remain his condition
Neofytou’s latest remarks did not come entirely without warning, as he had made similar suggestions previously.
What has changed is the increasingly clear message that his candidacy depends primarily on developments surrounding the Cyprus issue, rather than DISY’s internal selection process.
What remains publicly unclear is how he intends to approach the party mechanism itself.
If Neofytou enters and accepts the outcome of an internal DISY election, the controversy would be significantly reduced. Internal elections are not an unfamiliar practice for the party.
The situation would change substantially, however, if his personal decision to run were to override the collective verdict of the tens of thousands of DISY members entitled to participate in the selection process.
Based on Neofytou’s statements so far, his position appears to leave little room for another interpretation: if necessary, he is prepared to proceed outside the party process.
Party leadership avoids escalation
Despite the potentially serious consequences, Neofytou’s current rhetoric has not yet triggered an uncontrolled internal confrontation.
His position remains conditional on developments over Cyprus, and reactions from party officials are currently characterised largely by unease and caution.
Senior DISY figures are carefully weighing their next steps and deliberately keeping their public responses low-key.
There is little appetite within the party for the disagreement to develop into an open internal conflict at a politically sensitive moment. For the time being, officials appear prepared to allow events to unfold before determining how to respond.
Neofytou sounding out other political forces
According to information obtained by Politis, however, Neofytou has already entered the political battle, seeking to gauge whether other political forces could potentially support his presidential effort.
For the moment, his eventual decision remains crucial not only for his own candidacy but for DISY itself.
Once Neofytou definitively clarifies how he intends to proceed, the party will also be in a position to address the situation institutionally and determine its own course towards the 2028 election.
