House of Representatives (Cyprus) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids House of RepresentativesΒουλή των Αντιπροσώπων (Greek) Temsilciler Meclisi (Turkish) |
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Logo of the House of Representatives
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Leadership | |
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President
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Annita Demetriou, DISY
Since 10 June 2021 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 56 |
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Political groups
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Government (16)
Opposition (40)
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| Elections | |
| Open list proportional representation | |
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Last election
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30 May 2021 |
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Next election
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On or before May 2026 |
| Meeting place | |
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| House of Representatives, 1402 Nicosia Republic of Cyprus |
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The House of Representatives (Greek: Βουλή των Αντιπροσώπων Voulī́ tōn Antiprosṓpōn; Turkish: Temsilciler Meclisi) is the main law-making body for the Republic of Cyprus. Think of it as a special group of people who are chosen to represent everyone in the country and create laws. It's called 'unicameral' because it has just one main group of lawmakers.
People who become members of the House are chosen through elections every five years. There are also three special observers who represent the Armenian, Latin, and Maronite communities in Cyprus. While some seats are set aside for Turkish Cypriots, these seats have not been filled since 1964 due to historical reasons. Cyprus is unique because its House of Representatives is the only one in the European Union that works with a 'presidential system,' where the president is both the head of state and the head of the government.
Contents
How Elections Work
Choosing Representatives
Every five years, people in Cyprus vote in a general election to choose who will represent them in the House. This election usually happens just before the term of the current House ends.
Even after a new election, the old House members stay in their roles for a short time until the new members officially start. During this time, the old House can't make new laws or big decisions, unless there's a very urgent and unexpected situation.
When Elections Happen
Sometimes, the House can decide to end its term early. If this happens, they must also set a date for new elections. These new elections must take place between 30 and 40 days after the decision to end early. They also set a date for the first meeting of the newly elected House, which must be within 15 days after the election.
Who Makes Up the House?
Communities and Seats
The Constitution of Cyprus originally said there should be 50 representatives. 35 of these were for the Greek Cypriot Community and 15 for the Turkish Cypriot Community.
However, since 1964, the Turkish Cypriot members have not been part of the House. Their seats have been kept empty, waiting for them to be filled according to the Constitution.
Later, in 1985, the House decided to increase the total number of seats to 80. This was done to help the House work better, especially with its committees and its growing involvement in international groups. Now, 56 (70%) of these seats are for the Greek Cypriot Community, and 24 (30%) are for the Turkish Cypriot Community, though the Turkish Cypriot seats are still vacant.
Seats by Area
The way representatives are chosen is based on a system called 'proportional representation.' This means that the number of seats a political party gets generally matches the percentage of votes they receive.
Cyprus is divided into different areas, called districts, for elections. The number of representatives for each district is set by law. Here's how the 56 seats for the Greek Cypriot community are divided among the districts:
| Districts | Seats |
|---|---|
| Nicosia | 20 |
| Limassol | 12 |
| Famagusta | 11 |
| Larnaca | 6 |
| Paphos | 4 |
| Kyrenia | 3 |
| Total: 56 |
A Look at History
Early Days and Challenges
The first elections for the House of Representatives happened on July 31, 1960. At that time, the Constitution said there would be 50 representatives: 35 from the Greek community and 15 from the Turkish community.
However, the early years of the House faced some challenges. The Constitution, while protecting people's rights, also had rules that sometimes made it hard for the government to work smoothly. For example, changes to election laws or decisions about taxes needed separate agreements from both Greek and Turkish Cypriot representatives. This meant a small number of representatives could sometimes block important decisions.
In 1961, some Turkish Cypriot representatives voted against tax laws, which meant the country didn't have certain income tax laws for four years.
Adapting and Helping the Country
After some difficult events in December 1963, the 15 Turkish Cypriot representatives stopped attending the House. Their seats have remained vacant since then.
Over the years, the House of Representatives has worked hard to help the country. It has created special laws to fairly share responsibilities after significant events in the country's history. The House also worked to help the economy recover and provided support to families affected by difficult times, including those who had to move from their homes.
Today, the House is actively involved, both in Cyprus and with international groups, in finding a fair and lasting solution for the country's challenges.
Recent Election Results
The most recent general election for the House of Representatives was held on May 30, 2021. 2021 Cypriot legislative election
Leaders of the House
The President of the House is chosen from the Greek Cypriot representatives. The Constitution also says there should be a Vice-President chosen from the Turkish Cypriot representatives. If the President or Vice-President is temporarily away, the oldest representative from their community takes over, unless their community decides differently.
Currently, Annita Demetriou is the President of the House.
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Past Presidents
Here are the people who have served as Presidents of the House:
- Glafkos Klerides: August 1960 – July 22, 1976
- Tassos Papadopoulos: July 22, 1976 – September 20, 1976
- Spyros Kyprianou: September 20, 1976 – September 20, 1977
- Alekos Michaelides: September 20, 1977 – June 4, 1981
- Georgios Ladas: June 4, 1981 – December 30, 1985
- Vassos Lyssaridis: December 30, 1985 – May 30, 1991
- Alexis Galanos: May 30, 1991 – June 6, 1996
- Spyros Kyprianou: June 6, 1996 – June 7, 2001
- Dimitris Christofias: June 7, 2001 – February 28, 2008
- Marios Karoyian: March 7, 2008 – June 2, 2011
- Yiannakis Omirou: June 2, 2011 – June 2, 2016
- Demetris Syllouris: June 2, 2016 – October 15, 2020
- Adamos Adamou: October 15, 2020 – June 10, 2021
- Annita Demetriou: June 10, 2021 – present
More About Members
You can find lists of members from different terms here:
- List of members of the parliament of Cyprus, 1981–1985
- List of members of the parliament of Cyprus, 1985–1991
- List of members of the parliament of Cyprus, 1991–1996
- List of members of the parliament of Cyprus, 2001–2006
- List of members of the parliament of Cyprus, 2006–2011
- List of members of the parliament of Cyprus, 2011–2016
- List of members of the parliament of Cyprus, 2016–2021
- List of members of the parliament of Cyprus, 2021–2026
See also
In Spanish: Cámara de Representantes de Chipre para niños
- Politics of Cyprus
- List of legislatures by country
