Candidacies shall be submitted to the Elections Officer at the time and place specified in the Officer’s relevant Notification in the Government Gazette of the Republic, which shall be posted in prominent places within the relevant electoral Constituency, posted on the official websites of the Elections Officers and of the Councils and published in at least two (2) daily national newspapers. For the 2024 European elections nominations shall be submitted on Thursday 25th April 2024.
Each candidacy shall be submitted in writing and signed by two (2) electors, one of whom signing the candidacy forms as the proposer and the other one as the sponsor.
Candidate’s qualifications
Every person who has the right to vote and has completed the 21st year of his age, also has the right to be elected to the office of the President of the District Organisation of Local Government in the area in which his name is registered on the electoral roll.
Citizens from European Union Member States residing in Cyprus may be Members of the Council, however, they cannot submit their candidacy for the office of President neither can they hold the office of Council Vice-President.
Impediments and incompatibilities
A person shall not be able to be elected President of the Council if this person:
(a) suffers from a mental disease which makes him incapable of performing his duties as President of the Council,
(b) is an unrehabilitated insolvent,
(c) is deprived of the capacity to contract by virtue of any Law or court decision,
(d) has been convicted within the last ten (10) years prior to the closing date for the submission of his candidacy to stand for election, for a criminal offence of dishonesty or lack of honesty and/or moral turpitude,
(e) has served as President of the Council for a total of two (2) terms of office, regardless of the length of time that the person has served in that office within the five-year term for which he was elected (concerns general elections since 2029)
A Minister, Deputy Minister, independent official, judge of any court, a mayor, deputy mayor, member of the municipal council, community leader or members of the Community Council, may not be elected as President of the Council, unless he resigns his office or position before submitting his candidacy.
A person who is a Member of the House of Representatives, a Member of the European Parliament, a Commissioner exercising his duties under a Law or contract, a president, vice-president or member of the board of directors of a public-law body or a legal person governed by public law, a permanent or temporary civil servant, a teacher or an employee of a municipality or community or body governed by public law, a person in an active police or military service, or a person holding a clerical position, may stand for election as President of the Council, but may not take up that office, unless, before his proclamation to the position in which he was elected, he resigns his office or position, as the case may be.
If, during the term of office of a President of a Council, any incompatibility or impediment to eligibility arises, that person shall cease to serve as President and his post shall be vacant and filled by a by-election.
Submission of candidacy
The submission of the candidacy of every person entitled to stand as a candidate shall take place in accordance with the provisions of sections 10Ι to 10ΙΓ of the Law on District Organisations of Local Government .
Fee
For every candidacy a fee of €1.000 shall be paid.
This amount shall be returned to the candidates if no voting shall take place, or in the event of the candidate’s death it shall be returned to their legal representatives. Otherwise, the fee shall be confiscated and deposited with the National Fund of the Republic of Cyprus.