Sharjah24 – Reuters: Cyprus's ruling conservatives emerged as winners but failed to get an absolute majority in a parliamentary election on Sunday, with voters turning to smaller parties, including a right-wing party with links to Greece's now outlawed Golden Dawn.
With all votes counted, Cyprus's mainstream conservative Democratic Rally and Communist AKEL held their position as the two largest parties on the island, but support for both was eroded by smaller groupings on record-low turnout.
Voters were left reeling from a cash-for-passports scheme that the current administration had to abandon amid allegations of corruption last year.
Cyprus has an executive system of government, but the result is a gauge of the popularity of incumbent President Nicos Anastasiades of the right-wing Democratic Rally party who is in his second five-year term.
Sunday's voting was held only in the government-controlled areas of Cyprus. Abstention was 34.3%.
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