Sharjah24 – Reuters: Cyprus elects a new parliament on Sunday in a process likely to show a decline in support for major parties and a sizeable abstention rate among voters angered by corruption scandals.
More than 10 political parties or formations are seeking seats in a vote which will not likely produce an absolute majority given this has not been the outcome for several decades. Elections are held every five years.
Polling stations opened at 0400 GMT, with just over 558,000 eligible to vote, and close at 1500 GMT. In addition to 1,150 polling stations, nine mobile units were operating to assist voters suffering from COVID-19, election officials said.
Cyprus - divided among its Greek and Turkish Cypriot populations but whose government controls the Greek Cypriot side - has an executive system of government. The poll is a test run for allegiances which may be formed ahead of presidential elections scheduled in 2023.
Opinion polls suggest smaller parties are likely to benefit from repeated scandals in recent years, eroding the dominance of Anastasiades's party and the Communist AKEL, the other traditional mainstay of Cypriot politics.
But abstention may be a key feature of Sunday's election. In 2016 it hit a high of 33.3%.
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