Taking on the challenge of responding to the2008 financial crisis, he implemented a wide-ranging social program, increasing pensions and the minimum wage. At the end of his term, however, the2012–2013 Cypriot financial crisis led to a collapse in the banking system. Putting blame on the banks, he attempted to raise taxes on them as a way of funding the island's recovery, but failed to pass this into legislation. Also citing deadlock inreunification talks, he announced that he would not seek re-election, becoming the first Cypriot leader to opt out of running for a second term. He remains the onlycommunist head of state in the history of both Cyprus and theEuropean Union.
In 1974, Christofias was elected Central Organising Secretary of EDON and in 1977, General Secretary. He served in the latter post until 1987. In 1976 he was elected as a member of theNicosia-Kyrenia District Committee of AKEL, and in 1982 – at the 15th Congress of AKEL – he was elected as a member of the Central Committee of the Party.
In July 1986, Christofias was elected as an alternate member of the Political Bureau of AKEL. After the 16th Congress of AKEL, held in November 1986, he was elected as a full member of the Political Bureau, and in 1987 (after terminating his service as General Secretary of EDON) he was elected as a member of the AKEL Secretariat. In April 1988, following the death ofEzekias Papaioannou, he was elected as General Secretary of AKEL, a post he held until 2009.[citation needed]
Christofias was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives for the first time in 1991 and was re-elected in the subsequentparliamentary elections of 1996 and 2001. On 7 June 2001, he was elected as President of theHouse of Representatives. He was re-elected as President of the House of Representatives in 2006. In his function as General Secretary of AKEL and President of the House of Representatives, he was a Member of the National Council, a supreme advisory body to the President of the Republic.
Christofias wasex-officio chairman of the House Standing Committee on Selection and chairman of thead hoc House Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and of the Special House Standing Committee on Declaration and Examination of Property. He was also president of the executive committees of the Cyprus group to theInter-Parliamentary Union and of the Cyprus branch of theCommonwealth Parliamentary Association.
The first round of theFebruary 2008 presidential election, held on 17 February, saw a close result between the three leading candidates—Christofias,Ioannis Kasoulides ofDISY, and the incumbentTassos Papadopoulos—Christofias narrowly placing second with 33.3% of the vote, behind Kasoulidis with 33.5%. Christofias and Kasoulidis participated in a second round on 24 February,[3] for which Christofias received the backing of Papadopoulos's partyDIKO.[4] Christofias went on to win the election with 53.37% of the vote.[5] After his success, he stated his support for the closure of Cyprus'British military bases[6] and pledged to restart talks to find a solution to theCyprus problem. Addressing a crowd inNicosia, he said he looked forward to "substantial cooperation for the benefit of both communities".[7][8]
Christofias was sworn in as president at a ceremony in the House of Representatives on 28 February 2008, vowing that "the solution of the Cyprus problem will be the top priority of [his] government".[9] Although he was proud to be a communist, he said he would leave the free market economy alone.[10] While much of the focus outside of Cyprus was on his communist background and education in Moscow, voters were more concerned with a solution to the Cyprus problem.[11]
During this tenure as president, Christofias vowed to resume negotiations for the reunification of the island, making it one of the top priorities of his administration. Although his efforts did not lead to reunification, progress was made as ambulances and workers were able to cross the border, trade developed, and confidence-building measures were set in place.
He increased the minimum wage and pensions at the beginning of his term, but hissocial policy was stopped when the Cypriot banking system collapsed as a result of the2012–2013 Cypriot financial crisis. The European Union then only agreed to grant an aid package in exchange for a policy of economic austerity, which Christofias never signed. He tried to limit the crisis with a €2.5 billion loan from Russia, while opposing the privatization scheme. He also found himself confronted in parliament, where his party held only one third of seats, with the majority of other politicians refusing his proposal to increase taxes on the banks responsible for the crisis.[13][14]'[15]
Christofias announced on 14 May 2012 he would not seek re-election for a second term in the next year, citing a deadlock intalks on the island's reunification.[16] He left office on 28 February 2013, following thepresidential elections, and remains the only Cypriot president not to seek re-election.[17]
On 28 July 2011, Cyprus's cabinet tendered its resignation bowing to political and public pressure after amassive munitions blast atEvangelos Florakis Naval Base on 11 July 2011. Several thousand people upset by the Cypriot government's failure to dispose of the explosives had held a demonstration in the capital Nicosia on 12 July, demanding the resignation of Christofias.[18][19][20]
On 3 October 2011, the results of the investigation regarding the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion were released to the public, placing the blame for the incident mainly on President Christofias, holding him “personally and institutionally responsible” for the blast.[21][22] Christofias rejected the results of the investigation and denied any personal responsibility for the tragedy.[23]
Six days later, the police report, "prepared by head of CID at police HQ", recommended the prosecution of 12 people; the police rejected claims they were trying to protect the Presidential palace officials with their report, instead asserting that the "police perform their duties “impartially and objectively”". The police also report that they "carefully avoided saying who and how many we propose to take to court, because the final word on who will be brought to justice rests with the AG...in no way did we want to stigmatise someone who the AG may later judge there is insufficient evidence to prosecute”.[24] Although the state investigation concluded that he should have been arrested and charged, the Attorney General did no such thing.[25]
Christofias met Elsie Chiratou while studying inMoscow, and they returned to Cyprus together before marrying in 1972.[2] They had a son named Christos and two daughters named Marianna and Christina.[2]
Christofias described himself as anatheist, which was unprecedented by a Cypriot political leader due to the island's overwhelminglyGreek Orthodox outlook.[26][27] In addition to his native Greek, he was fluent in English and Russian.[2]
After experiencing acute respiratory problems, Christofias was hospitalised atNicosia General Hospital on 20 May 2019.[28] He died on 21 June, aged 72. A period of national mourning was later announced, and a state funeral was held.[29][30]
^Elias Hazou (17 September 2006)."Church elections: how it works".Cyprus Mail. Archived fromthe original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved10 September 2020.For instance, Chrysostomos might argue that certain self-declared atheists should not be allowed to vote. It's worth recalling that a couple of years ago, the leader of the communist party AKEL Demetris Christofias said he was an atheist.
^"Greek Cypriots elect new president".Bdnews24.com. 24 February 2008. Retrieved10 September 2020.Most of the campaign has focused on Christofias's credentials. His detractors have portrayed him as a die-hard communist who spurns his ethnic roots and has an allegedly atheist background
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