A total of 659 candidacies were submitted today ahead of the May 30 parliamentary elections with Chief Returning Officer Costas Constantinou stating that this year’s elections will be held in “unprecedented conditions” due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In statements to the press after the process was complete, Constantinou said the persons manning the polling centres will work under strict health protocols, will be vaccinated or will present a 24-hour Covid negative test, while mobile ballots will be deployed for voters who are in isolation due to contact with a confirmed Covid case.

Constantinou said that of the 659 candidacies, 651 were submitted by political party combinations whereas 8 candidacies were submitted individually.

Candidacies were submitted by ruling right-wing DISY (Democratic Rally), Left-wing AKEL, centre DIKO (Democratic Party), the social democrats EDEK, the Ecologists Movement - Citizens Cooperation, the extreme right ELAM (National People’s Front), Allilegyi (Solidarity), Allagi Genias (Generation Change), Energoi Polites (Active Citizens), Ammohostos gia tin Kypro (Famagusta for Cyprus), Afypnisi 2020 (Awakening 2020), Demokratiki Parataxi (Democratic Front), Active Citizens – United Cypriot Hunters Movement, the Animal Party of Cyprus, Patriotic Association and Pnoi Laou (The people’s voice).

He added that 244 candidacies were submitted in the electoral district of Nicosia, of which 241 submitted by 15 party combinations and three individuals, 141 candidacies were submitted for the Limassol electoral district, 138 by 15 party combinations and 3 individuals, 128 in Famagusta, of which 127 by 15 party combinations and 1 individual, 68 candidacies in Larnaca, of which 67 by party combinations and 1 individual.

Furthermore, 45 candidacies by 14 party combinations were submitted for the electoral district of Pafos and in 33 candidacies were submitted by 15 party combinations for the Kyrenia district.

Six candidacies have been submitted for the four seats the Representatives of the Religious Groups, namely two for the Maronite Religious Group, one for the Armenians, and three for the Latin group. No elections will be held for the Armenian Group with Vartkes Mahdessian elected uncontested.

Constantinou said that a total of 557,589 persons have the right to vote in the coming elections compared with 542,915 in the 2016 parliamentary elections.

Furthermore, a total of 1,160 polling stations will operate throughout Cyprus, namely 429 in Nicosia, 341 in Limassol, 54 in Famagusta, 192 in Larnaca, 134 in Pafos and ten stations abroad.

Constantinou said that an estimated 200 mobile ballots will operate providing the opportunity to voters who at the day of the elections are quarantine due to contact with a confirmed Covid case.

“The Ministry of the Interior is preparing for any scenario,” Constantinou said, adding that these are “unprecedented conditions.”

He furthermore, said that the Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Health have drafted a series of protocols for any activity associated with the elections so that the voting process will be safe for both voters and staff.

The Chief Returning Officer said that vaccinated employees will man the mobile ballots, while the staff in the polling stations will operate under strict protocols, adding that the majority of the personnel manning the polling stations will be vaccinated while those that did nor receive a vaccine dose will present a 24-hour Covid negative test.

Parliamentary elections take place every five years, for the 56-seat House. This will be the 11th time Cypriots will vote in parliamentary elections since the Republic of Cyprus was established in 1960.