Irene Charalambides expected to announce Alma candidacy  

Former Akel MP Irene Charalambides, who had left the party in February, is expected to officially confirm her support for former auditor-general’s Odysseas Michaelidis Alma movement in a press conference on Thursday, local media has reported.

“I invite you to a press conference on the theme of current developments and the parliamentary elections,” Charalambides said.

Politis said that the announcement follows the reaching of an agreement between Alma and Charalambides on the terms of their cooperation.

Charalambides, who has run as an independent MP ever since leaving Akel, has reportedly requested that her independence be assured when joining Alma’s ballot.

In response to the MP’s request, the interim executive secretariat of Alma amended its statutes, removing the requirement for candidates to be party members currently set out in the party’s regulations.

The MP had officially been removed from the Akel ballot on February 10, however, earlier on had indicated plans to run as a caondidate elsewhere.

Before officially leaving Akel, Charalambides had declared that she intended to contest the parliamentary elections scheduled for May 24, with indications pointing to her leaning towards joining Alma’s ballot.

The MP had continuously denied reaching any kind of agreement with any party or formation as of late January.

Around a month later, Charalambides reportedly met with the Alma secretariat to discuss a possible cooperation in the upcoming elections, however emphasising that she did not want to join Alma as a member, but was open to cooperation ensuring her status as an independent MP.

Alma head Odysseas Michaelides, speaking to Politis on Tuesday, recalled that the meeting had a “positive result”, adding that some technicalities still needed to be discussed.

Alma has scheduled a meeting for Thursday to examine whether Charalambides would be endorsed on the party’s ballot, which – if approved – will then be officially announced by the MP.

Charalambides’ first election was as an Akel candidate in 2011, with subsequent elections for the position of MP.

Since then, she has chaired several House committees, the latest being the House human rights committee which she handed over to Akel MP Giorgos Koukoumas in mid-February.