Editing Politics of Cyprus (section)

=== Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) ===
{{Main|Progressive Party of Working People}}

The [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]] [[Progressive Party of Working People|Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL)]] is the second largest political party in Cyprus, currently holding 15 of the 56 seats in the [[House of Representatives (Cyprus)|House of Representatives]].<ref name=":2" /> It was founded in 1926 with the name "Communist Party of Cyprus" fighting against [[fascism]], [[imperialism]] and [[chauvinism]], but also aiming at the [[London and Zürich Agreements|independence of Cyprus]] from [[British Cyprus|British rule]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=AKEL |first=AKEL |date=2014-02-01 |title=88 χρόνια ΚΚΚ- ΑΚΕΛ |url=https://akel.org.cy/88-%CF%87%CF%81%CF%8C%CE%BD%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CE%BA%CE%BA%CE%BA-%CE%B1%CE%BA%CE%B5%CE%BB/ |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=ΑΚΕΛ |language=el}}</ref>

AKEL is a [[Marxism–Leninism|Marxist–Leninist]], [[Euroscepticism|eurosceptic]] and [[Communism|communist]] [[Communist party|party]],<ref name=":02">{{cite web |title=Annual report 2011 |url=http://www.socialprotection.eu/files_db/1100/asisp_ANR11_Cyprus.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215212916/http://socialprotection.eu/files_db/1100/asisp_ANR11_Cyprus.pdf |archive-date=15 December 2013 |access-date=27 August 2012}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{cite web |title=Annual report 2010 |url=http://www.socialprotection.eu/files_db/886/asisp_ANR10_Cyprus.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215214049/http://socialprotection.eu/files_db/886/asisp_ANR10_Cyprus.pdf |archive-date=15 December 2013 |access-date=27 August 2012}}</ref><ref name="Guardian">Helena Smith, ''[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/24/cyprus Cyprus gets ready for a communist 'takeover']'', [http://www.guardian.co.uk/ The Guardian], 2008</ref> classified as [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Papadakis |first1=Yiannis |last2=Peristianis |first2=Nicos |last3=Welz |first3=Gisela |title=Divided Cyprus: Modernity, History, and an Island in Conflict |date=18 July 2016 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=978-0-253-11191-3 |page=80 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wzPG7b_m4swC&pg=PA80 |access-date=25 October 2020 |language=en |quotation=This is admittedly a rough division that focuses on the largest parties in Cyprus: left-wing AKEL on the Greek Cypriot side...}}</ref><ref>Uwe Backes, Patrick Moreau, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=H23Pv4Ik3vMC&pg=PA275 Communist and Post-Communist Parties in Europe]'', Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2008, {{ISBN|9783525369128}}, p. 268 ss.</ref> to [[Far-left politics|far-left]].<ref>[https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/id/ipa/05818.pdf Contemporary Far Left Parties in Europe From Marxism to the Mainstream? Luke March, 2008, P.4]</ref> It is currently led by [[Member of parliament|MP]] [[Stefanos Stefanou]] and it is a member of [[The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL|The Left in the European Parliament]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=AKEL |url=https://left.eu/groups/akel/ |access-date=2024-09-09 |website=The Left}}</ref> One party leader, [[Demetris Christofias]], served as the [[President of Cyprus]] (2008–2013) for one term, without seeking re-election. Other presidents that were supported by AKEL were [[Makarios III|Archbishop Makarios III]], [[Spyros Kyprianou]], [[George Vassiliou]] and [[Tassos Papadopoulos]].

==== Notable Figures ====
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File:Demetris Christofias in February 2011.jpg|[[Demetris Christofias]], former General Secretary of '''AKEL''' (1988–2009), President of the [[House of Representatives (Cyprus)|House of Representatives]] (2001–2008) and [[President of Cyprus]] (2008–2013).
File:Andros-Kyprianou-2011.jpg|[[Member of parliament|MP]] [[Andros Kyprianou]], former General Secretary of '''AKEL''' (2009–2021).
File:Συνάντηση Υπουργού Εξωτερικών, Νίκου Δένδια, με τον Γενικό Γραμματέα του ΑΚΕΛ, Σ. Στεφάνου (Αθήνα, 15.09.2021) cropped.jpg|[[Member of parliament|MP]] [[Stefanos Stefanou]], General Secretary of '''AKEL''' since 2021.
File:Irene Charalambides, Special Representative on Fighting Corruption, Marrakech, 4 October 2019 (cropped).jpg|[[Member of parliament|MP]] [[Irene Charalambidou]], vice-president of the [[Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]].
File:Stavros Malas (cropped).png|[[Stavros Malas]], former [[List of Ministers of Health of the Republic of Cyprus|Minister of Health]] (2011–2013) and '''AKEL'''-backed independent candidate in the [[2013 Cypriot presidential election|2013]] and [[2018 Cypriot presidential election|2018]] presidential elections.
File:Mayor of Nicosia Eleni Mavrou at her office Republic of Cyprus.jpg|[[Eleni Mavrou]], former '''AKEL''' [[Member of parliament|MP]] (2001–2006), Minister of Interior (2012–2013) and Mayor of [[Nicosia]] (2007–2011).
File:Andreas Christou (cropped).jpg|[[Andreas Christou]], former '''AKEL''' [[Member of parliament|MP]] (1991–2003), [[Ministry of Interior (Cyprus)|Interior Minister]] (2003–2006), Minister of Health (2004–2005) and Mayor of [[Limassol]] (2007–2016).
</gallery>

==== Notable Former Party Members ====
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File:Giorgos Lillikas Senate of Poland.JPG|[[Giorgos Lillikas]], former '''AKEL''' [[Member of parliament|MP]] (1996–2003), founder of the splinter party [[Citizens' Alliance (Cyprus)|Citizens' Alliance]], and independent candidate at the [[2013 Cypriot presidential election]].
</gallery>