A public opinion poll conducted by Prime Consulting and published on Sigma TV channel showed a sharp decline in the popularity of Cyprus President Nicos Christodoulides.

According to the results, 55% of respondents expressed a negative opinion about his leadership.

Only 17% of respondents believe that Christodoulides should be re-elected, while 65% oppose his candidacy for a second term. 18% of the respondents chose not to answer this question.

Election analyst Nasios Orinos noted that the results of the poll are “startling.” He stressed that the president’s approval level is low even among the parties that supported him in the elections, such as Edek and Dipa. “Even among these small parties that traditionally support the president, his approval level remains low,” Orinos added.

Christodoulides receives the most criticism from voters of the main opposition Akel party — 88% of them believe that the president should not be re-elected. Interestingly, 45% of the voters of the Democratic Party (Diko), which also supported him in the elections, agree with this opinion. Among those who voted for Christodoulides in 2023, only 27% believe that he should be re-elected, while 48% oppose.

“This indicates a significant change in perception, even among his constituents,” the analyst noted.

Despite the negative ratings, the survey showed some areas where Christodoulides received moderate support. In the field of foreign policy, 51% of respondents expressed satisfaction, while 36% supported his approach to the Cyprus issue. However, economic policy, which is a key concern of many voters, was approved by only 37% of respondents, despite the recent upgrade of the country’s credit rating.

“Given the economic improvements and government subsidies, one would expect better performance in this area,” Orinos added, pointing out that everyday problems such as inflation and the high cost of living outweigh statistical successes.

Responding to suggestions that negative media coverage is the reason for the decline in popularity, Orinos rejected this idea. “During the election campaign, Christodoulides faced strong opposition from the media, but he won anyway. This is not just a matter of media coverage — real issues have a much greater impact on public sentiment.”

The survey was conducted from February 20 to February 28 and covered 1,011 people. The statistical error is 3.1%.

A source: cyprus-mail.com

https://cyprusbutterfly.com.cy/news/shokiruyushhie-czifryi-pochemu-kipriotov-protiv