The Constitution defines the Republic of Cyprus as an independent sovereign republic with a presidential system. It provides for the separation of powers, where the executive power is exercised by the President and the Council of ministers, the legislative power is exercised by the House of Representatives and the Justice is administered by the Supreme [...]
The electoral system varies depending on the type of election. According to the Constitution, the election of the President of the Republic is made by a universal vote on the basis of a majority system. A candidate shall be elected when s/he secures more than 50% of valid votes. If no candidate secures this percentage, a [...]
A proportional system, introduced in 1995, is in force for parliamentary elections. The threshold was set to 1/56 (about 1.79%) of valid votes, which equals the number of votes required for occupying one of the 56 House seats. In 2015, the threshold for securing entry into the parliament was doubled, raised to 3.6%. Proportionality replaced [...]
The electoral system and the basic arrangements for the election of the President of the Republic are laid down in the Constitution, in Articles 39 to 45. Article 39 stipulates that the President shall be elected by universal secret ballot. The candidate that secures more than 50% of the valid votes is elected. Thus, a [...]
