Dimitris Christofias
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| Dimitris Christofias Δημήτρης Χριστόφιας |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 28 February 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Tassos Papadopoulos |
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| In office 7 June 2001 – 28 February 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Spyros Kyprianou |
| Succeeded by | Marios Karoyian |
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General Secretary of AKEL
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 22 April 1988 |
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| Preceded by | Ezekias Papaioannou |
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| Born | 29 August 1946 Dikomo, Cyprus |
| Political party | AKEL |
| Spouse | Elsie Chiratou |
| Religion | Atheist[1] |
Dimitris Christofias (Greek: Δημήτρης Χριστόφιας) is a left-wing Greek Cypriot politician and the current and sixth President of the Republic of Cyprus. Christofias is the General Secretary of AKEL, a Marxist-Leninist party,[2] and is Cyprus's first, and the European Union's first and so far only, communist head of state. He won the 2008 Cypriot presidential elections in the 2nd round of voting. Throughout the election campaign, he pledged to restart talks with Turkish Cypriots in order to find a solution to the Cyprus dispute and reunify the island. He has also supported the closure of the British military bases on Cyprus.[3]
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[edit] Early life
He was born on 29 August 1946 in the village of Dhikomo, Kyrenia. Christofias became involved in leftist politics early in his youth and held several positions with the youth movement of AKEL (the Progressive Party of the Working People of Cyprus). His father, who died in 1987, was a progressive builder, member of the Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO).
He had his secondary-school education at Nicosia Commercial Lyceum, from where he graduated in 1964.
At the age of 14, he joined the progressive secondary-school students’ organisation PEOM and at the age of 18 he joined EDON (AKEL's United Democratic Youth Organisation), PEO Trade Unions and AKEL. In 1969, at the 5th Congress of EDON, he was elected member of the Central Council.
Dimitris Christofias studied at the Institute of Social Sciences and the Academy of Social Sciences in Moscow from 1969 to 1974 from which he graduated with the Diploma and degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History (Ph.D.History). In Moscow he met his wife, Elsie Chiratou, and later returned to Cyprus and political life.
[edit] Public figure
In 1974 he was elected to the post of the Central Organising Secretary of EDON and in 1977 of General Secretary. At this post he served till 1987.
In 1976 he was elected member of the Nicosia-Kyrenia District Committee of AKEL, and in 1982 – at the 15th Congress of AKEL – he was elected member of the Central Committee of the Party.
In July 1986 he was elected alternate member of the Political Bureau of the C.C. of AKEL. After the 16th Congress of AKEL, held in November 1986, he was elected full member of the P.B. of C.C. AKEL and in 1987 (after terminating his service as General Secretary of EDON) he was elected member of the Secretariat of C.C. AKEL. In April 1988, following the death of Ezekias Papaioannou, he was elected General Secretary of the C.C. AKEL, a post he still holds.
[edit] Rise to local leadership
Dimitris Christofias was elected Member of the House of Representatives for the first time in 1991 and was re-elected in the subsequent parliamentary elections of 1996 and 2001. On 7 June 2001 he was elected President of the House of Representatives. He was re-elected as president of the House of Representatives in 2006. In his function of General Secretary of the C.C. AKEL and President of the House of Representatives, he was a Member of the National Council, a supreme advisory body to the President of the Republic.
He was ex officio chairman of the House Standing Committee on Selection and chairman of the Ad Hoc House Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and of the Special House Standing Committee on Declaration and Examination of Property.
He was also president of the executive committees of the Cyprus Group to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (I.P.U.) and of the Cyprus Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (C.P.A.).
Dimitris Christofias is married to Elsie (Chiratou) Christofias (1972) and they have three children – two daughters, Marianna and Christina, and a son, Christos. He is a recipient of a living-related kidney transplant, donated by his sister.[4]
[edit] 2008 election
The first round of the February 2008 presidential election, held on 17 February, saw a close result between the three leading candidates—Christofias, Ioannis Kasoulides of DISY, and the incumbent Tassos Papadopoulos—Christofias narrowly placing second with 33.3% of the vote, behind Kasoulidis with 33.5%. Christofias and Kasoulidis participated in a second round on February 24[5] for which Christofias received the backing of Papadopoulos's party, DIKO.[6] Christofias went on to win the election with 53.37% of the vote.[7]After his success he pledged to restart talks to find a solution to reunify the island. In addressing a jubilant crowd waving Cypriot and Che Guevara flags in the Cyprus capital Nicosia's streets the new president-elect said he looked forward to "substantial cooperation for the benefit of both communities." [8] "Tomorrow, a new day begins. We will see many difficulties ahead of us. As of tomorrow, we unite our forces…to achieve the reunification of our country,"[9]
Christofias was sworn in as President at a ceremony in the House of Representatives on February 28, 2008, vowing that "the solution of the Cyprus problem will be the top priority of my government".[10] Although proud to be a communist, he says he will leave the free market economy alone.[11] While much of the focus beyond Cyprus has been on Mr Christofias's communist background and education in Moscow, on the island voters have been more concerned with a solution to Europe's longest running conflict[12], the island's partition since 1974.
[edit] Symbolism of his election
Lothar Bisky, the Chairperson of the Party of the European Left, said in a message of congratulation: "The success of Dimitris Christofias is a hope for the working people in Cyprus and an important step towards a peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem. And it is also a great encouragement for the left in Europe."[13] Robert Griffiths, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Britain, said: "This result is of key importance for the future of all the working people of Cyprus. It is also a result of international significance that will hearten Communists and progressives the world over."[14]
[edit] References
- ^ "Church elections: how it works", Cyprus Mail, 17 September 2006
- ^ "Cyprus gets ready for a communist 'takeover'", The Observer, 24 February 2008.
- ^ "Cyprus elects its first communist president", The Guardian, 25 February 2008.
- ^ "FACTBOX - Five facts about Cyprus leftist Christofias", Reuters, Sunday, February 24, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
- ^ "Incumbent eliminated from Cyprus presidential election in major surprise", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 17 February 2008.
- ^ "Communist chief gains edge in Cyprus poll", AFP (news.com.au), 21 February 2008.
- ^ "Presidential Election 2008: Run-off Election: Official results", Cypriot government, 2008-02-24. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
- ^ "Christofias wins Cyprus presidency", CNN, 2008-02-24. Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-02-24-cyprus-elections_N.htm USA Today "Christofias wins Cyprus presidential election" 25 February 2008
- ^ "New Cyprus president takes office with pledge for solution", Xinhua (People's Daily Online), February 28, 2008.
- ^ Reuters "Communist Christofias Wins Cyprus Presidential Vote" February 24 2008
- ^ The Independent "Leftist victory revives hopes for a united Cyprus" Monday 25 February 2008
- ^ "Congratulations! Dimitris Christofias: President of the Republic of Cyprus", Party of the European Left, 24 February 2008
- ^ "Communist Wins Cypriot Presidential election", Communist Party of Britain, 25 February 2008
[edit] External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tassos Papadopoulos |
President of Cyprus 2008 – present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Spyros Kyprianou |
President of the House of Representatives 2001 – 2008 |
Succeeded by Marios Karoyian |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Ezekias Papaioannou |
Secretary General of AKEL 1988 – present |
Incumbent |
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