President of Cyprus (original) (raw)

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Head of state and government of Cyprus

President of the Republic of Cyprus
Πρόεδρος της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας (Greek)Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanı (Turkish)
Presidential standard of Cyprus
IncumbentNikos Christodoulidessince 28 February 2023
Executive branch of the Government of Cyprus
Style	Mr President (informal)His Excellency (diplomatic)
Status	Head of stateHead of governmentCommander-in-chief
Member of	European Council
Residence	Presidential Palace
Seat	Nicosia, Cyprus
Appointer	Popular vote
Term length	Five years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument	Cypriot Constitution
Formation	16 August 1960; 64 years ago (1960-08-16)
First holder	Makarios III
Deputy	Vice President of Cyprus (de jure)President of the House of Representatives (de facto)
Salary	132,000 EUR annually[1]
Website	www.presidency.gov.cy

The president of Cyprus, officially the president of the Republic of Cyprus,[a] is the head of state and the head of government of Cyprus, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Cypriot National Guard. The office was established by the Constitution of 1960, after Cyprus gained its independence from the United Kingdom.

The combination of the role of head of state and that of government is unique among member states of the European Union, making Cyprus the only EU state with a full presidential system of government.

The constitution, which was negotiated during the London and Zürich Agreements that divided power between the Greek Cypriot community and Turkish Cypriot community, requires the president to be a Greek Cypriot. Other requirements are that the officeholder must be over the age of thirty-five and elected directly in a two-round system. The president's term lasts for five years, and in accordance with the thirteenth amendment to the constitution, no person can serve more than two consecutive terms.

Nikos Christodoulides is the eighth and current president of Cyprus, having assumed office on 28 February 2023.

Powers and limitations

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According to the Constitution, the president of the Republic is the head of state, and is elected for a five year term through direct, universal and secret ballot.

Among the most important powers granted to the president of the Republic by the Constitution, are the power to put into effect laws passed by the House of Representatives or the right of veto to prevent legislation passed by the House from being enacted, if a given law concerns issues of the external policy, security and defence of the Republic, the right to refer such legislation back to the legislative body, as well as the right to refer it to the Supreme Court for the purposes of checking its constitutionality.

In addition, the president convenes the meetings of the Council of Ministers and draws up their agenda, while maintaining the right of veto for council meetings as well, provided that they concern issues of external policy, security and defence of the Republic, as well as the right to refer them back to the aforementioned body.

Today, under the doctrine of necessity, the president appoints eleven ministers, who constitute the country's Cabinet, and with the exception of the powers reserved by the constitution explicitly for the president and vice president of the Republic, exercise the executive authority of the state.

Furthermore, the Constitution grants the president the power to unilaterally appoint independent state officials and Supreme Court judges.

There are two ways for the president of the Republic to be removed from office. In the first case, they must be convicted by the Supreme Court for high treason, following prosecution by the prosecutor general and the deputy prosecutor general, which has to be approved by a resolution of at least three-quarters of members of parliament. In the second case, they must be convicted of a dishonorable offense or an offense of moral turpitude, following prosecution by the prosecutor general and the deputy prosecutor general, which has to be approved by the president of the Supreme Court.

List of officeholders

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Key

§ Elected unopposed
† Died in office

No.	Portrait	Name(Birth–Death)	Term	Political Party	Elected
Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		ArchbishopMakarios III(1913–1977)	16 August 1960	15 July 1974(deposed)	13 years, 333 days	Independent	195919681973[§]
–		Nikos Sampson(1935–2001)Acting De facto	15 July 1974	23 July 1974	8 days	Progressive Front	–
–		Glafcos Clerides(1919–2013)Acting	23 July 1974	7 December 1974	137 days	Eniaion	–
(1)		ArchbishopMakarios III(1913–1977)	7 December 1974(restored)	3 August 1977 †	2 years, 239 days	Independent	–
2		Spyros Kyprianou(1932–2002)Acting until 28 February 1978	3 August 1977	28 February 1988	10 years, 209 days	DIKO	1978[§]1983
3		George Vassiliou(born 1931)	28 February 1988	28 February 1993	5 years	Independent	1988
4		Glafcos Clerides(1919–2013)	28 February 1993	28 February 2003	10 years	DISY	19931998
5		Tassos Papadopoulos(1934–2008)	28 February 2003	28 February 2008	5 years	DIKO	2003
6		Demetris Christofias(1946–2019)	28 February 2008	28 February 2013	5 years	AKEL	2008
7		Nicos Anastasiades(born 1946)	28 February 2013	28 February 2023	10 years	DISY	20132018
8		Nikos Christodoulides(born 1973)	28 February 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 321 days	Independent	2023

• List of colonial governors and administrators of British Cyprus
• Politics of Cyprus
• List of Cypriot governments

1. ^

   • Greek: Πρόεδρος της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας, romanized: Próedros tis Kypriakís Dimokratías
   • Turkish: Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanı

2. ^ Supported by DIKO, EDEK, DIPA, Solidarity, Active Citizens – United Cypriot Hunters Movement and Animal Party Cyprus

3. ^ Supported by AKEL and Generation Change

4. ^ Supported by Famagusta for Cyprus

5. ^ "Γενικό Λογιστήριο της Δημοκρατίας Απολαβές Αξιωματούχων". treasury.gov.cy. 12 January 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2025.

• Presidency of Cyprus