This feature is part of Politis to the Point’s ongoing series amplifying women’s voices ahead of Cyprus’s parliamentary elections in May 2026. With the island still ranking lowest in the EU for women’s representation, journalism challenges political parties to move beyond promises and token gestures toward real structural change and equality.
For Anna Koukkides-Procopiou, the problem is clear:
“Women are trapped in a no-win scenario: if they are seen as too ‘feminine,’ they are perceived as weak, if they act ‘strong,’ they are not liked. Meanwhile, society loses out on their perspective and expertise.”
With only 14.3% of parliamentary seats held by women, the lowest in the European Union, we reached out to her as Founder of Women Act-Cyprus, part of the international Women Act network dedicated to promoting women in public life, and former Minister of Justice and Public Order, to unpack the challenges facing women in Cypriot politics. Her insights are both illuminating and urgent, particularly as Cyprus heads into parliamentary elections in seven months.
Drawing on decades of experience in government and civil society, Koukkides-Procopiou explains why Cyprus has remained “stuck” in terms of gender equality, how societal and structural factors disadvantage female candidates, and why increasing women’s political participation is critical, not just for fairness, but for the health and well-being of society as a whole.
Through her perspective, the statistics gain context, showing why these numbers matter: they translate into opportunity, representation, and the broader cost to society when women’s voices are excluded from decisions that shape everyday life. Crucially, she also highlights how meaningful change might be possible.
Still on the sidelines
The numbers for female participation in Cypriot politics are strikingly low. Why do you think that is?
It’s a multifaceted problem. Over the last months leading up to the elections, male candidates have dominated the conversation, while relatively few women have expressed interest in running. Even beyond the numbers, there’s a culture of sidelining women. Look at the executive branch: in the current Council of Ministers, only two out of eleven ministers are women, and many women occupy Deputy Minister or Commissioner roles without real executive power. This reflects a broader societal pattern: Cyprus ranks 26th out of 27 EU countries in terms of women’s influence in decision-making. It’s clear where all the Cypriot women are and that place is not politics.
Structural & social barriers
Which structural and social barriers discourage women from running for office?
Women face an uphill battle even before the campaign begins. Research shows that women must exceed expectations to stand a chance of winning. Usually, when a woman decides to run and then, wins, she's by far the better candidate in terms of qualifications.
And then there’s a paradox: if women display traits traditionally seen as “feminine,” voters often perceive them as weak. But if they act “strong” or adopt traditionally masculine behaviors, they may not be liked, a quality that matters more for female candidates than for men. So women are trapped in a no-win scenario.
Women’s value
So despite the barriers, why is it important to have more women in politics?
Women bring different perspectives that benefit society as a whole. They tend to build humanitarian political proposals, work across party lines, and respond to voters’ concerns with high emotional intelligence. Before we rush to classify the priorities of female politicians in health and education, for example, as 'soft issues', let's just pause for a moment and consider that it is health and education which are significant Human Development Index indicators and which make economic growth possible and sustainable, to begin with, in any society. Just saying…
Excluding women from politics isn’t just unfair. It’s economically and socially detrimental.
Changing the Status Quo
Given these challenges, what concrete steps could increase women’s political participation?
Conscious policy-making is key. Quotas are one effective tool: countries with legislated candidate quotas have seen female representation in parliaments increase by five to seven percentage points. Quotas help women overcome self-confidence gaps and create a critical mass of female voices so that they are heard. They provide role models for the next generation and normalize the presence of women in politics for the electorate. Swanee Hunt, the Harvard public policy lecturer and gender equality advocate, says: “It’s not rocket science.”
And yet, in Cyprus, we still hesitate to take that step.
Cyprus faces a clear choice: maintain the status quo, where women remain sidelined, or implement deliberate policies that empower women to run and succeed. Koukkides-Procopiou’s work through Women Act-Cyprus demonstrates that change is possible, but it requires commitment, conscious decision-making, and courage. Without these, the question “Can women win?” may remain rhetorical for years to come.
References:
1. Koukkides-Procopiou, A., Antoniades, N., & Mohr, I. (2022). Women's Political Capabilities as Mediators of Leadership and People Satisfaction. Journal of International Women’s Studies. Link
2. IDEA. Gender Quotas Database. Link
3. UN Women. Facts and Figures: Women’s Leadership and Political Participation. Link