The death of the Democratic Rally – DISY deputy Doctor Kostas Hatzikakos prompted a by-election in the Famagusta Constituency to fill the vacant seat, on 22 August 1982. DISY claimed the seat with Demetrakis Pantelides, EDEK with Demetris Eliades and DIKO with Zacharias Toulouras. AKEL supported the candidacy of Toulouras.
AKEL and DIKO had already reached an agreement on the presidential elections to be held in February 1983, on the basis of a “minimum program” of cooperation, signed in April 1982. The by-election in Famagusta was a general test in view of the presidential eelction and would provide some indication on the effectiveness of cooperation.
The participation was slightly lower than in the 1981 elections and the share of the three candidates was slightly higher than their respective parties in the above contest. It seems that the small share of PAME, the Union of the Center and NEDIPA had been shared among the candidates. The candidate of the cooperation won the elections with 54.53% (AKEL and DIKO received 53.95% in 1981) while Demetrakis Pantelides received 39.83% (DISY had received 38.35%) and Demetris Eliades 5.64% (EDEK recorded 3.68% in 1981).
The by-election gave rise to discussions on whether it was just the right to fill a vacant seat with a by-election. The proportional character of the system was violated, some argued, because a seat that rightfully belonged to one party was passing through to another, through a precarious alliance.
The discussions led to an amendment of the law, for filling the seat from candidates of the party that held it. From now on, the seat would be occupied by the candidate of the same party, who follows in number of votes of preference, in that particular constituency.