Editing Politics of Cyprus (section)

=== Democratic Party (DIKO) ===
{{Main|Democratic Party (Cyprus)}}
The [[Democratic Party (Cyprus)|Democratic Party (DIKO)]] is the largest [[Centrism|centrist]] political party in Cyprus,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Τα στοιχήματα των κομμάτων του Κέντρου, ο κίνδυνος της χαμένης ψήφου και η σειρά κατάταξης |url=https://reporter.com.cy/article/2024/5/20/774770/ta-stoikhemata-ton-kommaton-tou-kentrou-o-kindunos-tes-khamenes-psephou-kai-e-seira-katataxes/ |access-date=2024-09-09 |website=Τα στοιχήματα των κομμάτων του Κέντρου, ο κίνδυνος της χαμένης ψήφου και η σειρά κατάταξης |language=en}}</ref> currently holding 9 out of the 56 seats in the [[House of Representatives (Cyprus)|House of Representatives]].<ref name=":2" /> Like the [[Democratic Rally|Democratic Rally (DISY)]], DIKO was founded in 1976 following the split of the [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]] "[[Eniaion]]". Initially named the Democratic Alignment (DIPA), the party was led by [[Spyros Kyprianou]].<ref name=":3" />

DIKO is variously described as [[Centrism|centrist]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Cyprus&nbsp;&ndash; Political parties |url=https://nsd.no/european_election_database/country/cyprus/parties.html |work=European Election Database |publisher=[[Norwegian Centre for Research Data]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |year=2018 |title=Appendix A3: Political Parties |url=http://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/docs/round9/survey/ESS9_appendix_a3_e03_0.pdf |work=[[European Social Survey]] |edition=9th}}</ref> [[centre-left]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Athanasiadis |first=Konstantinos |url=https://eprints.luiss.it/1344/1/EUROPEAN_PARLIAMENT_ELECTION_2014_DE_SIO_EMANUELE_MAGGINI.pdf |title=The European Parliament Elections of 2014 |date=30 May 2014 |publisher=CISE |isbn=978-88-98012-16-9 |editor1-last=De Sio |editor1-first=Lorenzo |page=164 |chapter=Cyprus: Disapproval through abstention in EU’s remotest 'outpost' |access-date=31 May 2019 |editor2-last=Emanuele |editor2-first=Vincenzo |editor3-last=Maggini |editor3-first=Nicola |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811122921/http://eprints.luiss.it/1344/1/EUROPEAN_PARLIAMENT_ELECTION_2014_DE_SIO_EMANUELE_MAGGINI.pdf |archive-date=11 August 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> or [[centre-right]];<ref>{{cite book |last=Ker-Lindsay |first=James |title=Doing Business with the Republic of Cyprus |publisher=[[GMB Publishing]] |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-905050-54-3 |editor-last=Dew |editor-first=Philip |page=16 |chapter=Government, Politics and Accession to the European Union |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q_cG61SQ8MAC&pg=PA16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |author=Neofytos Loizides |title=Transformations of the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot Right: Right-wing Peace-makers? |work=Beyond a Divided Cyprus: A State and Society in Transformation |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |year=2012 |isbn=9780230338548 |page=186}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |author=Nathalie Tocci |author-link=Nathalie Tocci |title=Greece, Turkey and Cyprus |work=European Politic |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2007 |page=125}}</ref> internationally, it is a member of the [[Progressive Alliance]], which groups together mainly centre-left parties.<ref name="Democratic Party">{{cite web|script-title=el:Το ΔΗ.ΚΟ. συνδέεται με την "Προοδευτική Συμμαχία" |url=http://diko.org.cy/easyconsole.cfm/id/2643 |publisher=Democratic Party |access-date=2 December 2013 |location=Nicosia |language=el |date=24 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203035915/http://diko.org.cy/easyconsole.cfm/id/2643 |archive-date=3 December 2013 }}</ref> DIKO claims to be the most loyal follower of the policies of [[Makarios III|Archbishop Makarios]], the founding father of the Republic of Cyprus.<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/cyprus/64.htm Eric Solsten, ed. Cyprus: A Country Study, US Congress]</ref> It is currently led by [[Nikolas Papadopoulos]], son of [[Tassos Papadopoulos]], former [[President of Cyprus]] and of DIKO.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Κόμμα |first=Δημοκρατικό |title=Παπαδόπουλος Νικόλας |url=https://democraticparty.org.cy/mp/nicholaspapadopoulos/ |access-date=2024-09-09 |website=Δημοκρατικό Κόμμα |language=el}}</ref>

At its inception in 1976, DIKO maintained the [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]] ideology of its parent-party, [[Eniaion]].<ref name=":3" /> However, in June 2003, under the leadership of [[Tassos Papadopoulos]], DIKO announced a shift away from its traditional [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]] stance and declared an intention to move towards [[social democracy]].<ref name="Dew2005">{{cite book |author=Philip Dew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q_cG61SQ8MAC&pg=PA16 |title=Doing Business with the Republic of Cyprus |publisher=GMB Publishing Ltd |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-905050-54-3 |pages=16–}}</ref> The party has adopted a firm and hardline stance on the [[Cyprus problem]], particularly in its strong opposition to the [[Annan Plan]] in 2004. While DIKO supports [[European integration]] and advocates a non-aligned foreign policy, it has also expressed support for Cyprus joining [[Partnership for Peace|NATO's Partnership for Peace]].<ref>Christophoros Christophorou (2009). The Evolution of Greek Cypriot Party Politics. The Government and Politics of Cyprus. Peter Lang. p. 90.</ref>

Two former leaders of the party have served as [[President of Cyprus|Presidents of Cyprus]], [[Spyros Kyprianou]] (1977–1988) and [[Tassos Papadopoulos]] (2003–2008). The current [[President of Cyprus]], [[Nikos Christodoulides]], although running as an [[Independent politician|independent]], was supported by [[Democratic Party (Cyprus)|DIKO]], making the party the largest in the current [[Christodoulides government|government]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dalites |first=Frixos |date=25 June 2023 |title=Το ΔΗΚΟ ως ρυθμιστικός πυλώνας της Κυβέρνησης – Οι υποψήφιοι για την αντιπροεδρία στον "Φ" |url=https://www.philenews.com/politiki/article/1337223/to-diko-os-rithmistikos-pilonas-tis-kivernisis-i-ipopsifii-gia-tin-antiproedria-ston-f/ |work=Philenews}}</ref>

Internal disagreements over the [[Cyprus problem]] led to the creation of the splinter party [[Democratic Alignment (Cyprus)|Democratic Alignment (DIPA)]], in 2018, led by the former president of DIKO, [[Marios Garoyian]].

==== Notable Figures ====
<gallery widths="150" heights="150" class="center">
File:Spyros Kyprianou UN (cropped).jpg|[[Spyros Kyprianou]], former President of '''DIKO''' (1976–2000), President of the [[House of Representatives (Cyprus)|House of Representatives]] (1976–1977, 1996–2001) and [[President of Cyprus]] (1977–1988).
File:Tassos Papadopoulos.jpg|[[Tassos Papadopoulos]], former President of '''DIKO''' (200–2006), President of the [[House of Representatives (Cyprus)|House of Representatives]] (1976) and [[President of Cyprus]] (2003–2008).
File:Nikolas papadopoulos 2020.jpg|[[Member of parliament|MP]] [[Nikolas Papadopoulos]], President of '''DIKO''' since 2013 and '''DIKO'''<nowiki/>'s candidate in the [[2018 Cypriot presidential election|2018 presidential election]].
File:MEP Costas Mavrides.jpg|[[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] [[Costas Mavrides]], '''DIKO'''<nowiki/>'s [[Member of the European Parliament]] since 2014.
File:Makis KERAVNOS.jpg|[[Makis Keravnos]], member of '''DIKO''', former [[List of Ministers of Labour and Social Insurance of Cyprus|Minister of Labor and Social Security]] (2003–2004), and [[List of Ministers of Finance of Cyprus|Minister of Finance]] since 2023.
File:Antigoni Papadopoulou Photo.jpg|[[Antigoni Papadopoulou]], former [[Member of parliament|MP]] (2001–2009), [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] (2009–2014), [[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe]] (2001–2009) and Mayor of [[Morphou]] (1996–2001).
File:Vasilis PALMAS.jpg|[[Vasilis Palmas]], member of '''DIKO''', former Government Spokesperson (2007–2008), Deputy Minister to the President (2017–2022), and [[List of Ministers of Defence of Cyprus|Minister of Defence]] since 2024.
</gallery>

==== Notable Former Party Members ====
<gallery widths="150" heights="150" class="center">
File:Marios Garoyian (cropped).jpg|[[Member of parliament|MP]] [[Marios Garoyian]], former President of '''DIKO''' (2006–2013), President of the [[House of Representatives (Cyprus)|House of Representatives]] (2008–2011), and founder and leader of the splinter party [[Democratic Alignment (Cyprus)|DIPA]].
</gallery>