Background and political system
With a population just over 1.3 million (including the population living in the northern part of Cyprus), Cyprus is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Türkiye. The first multiparty presidential elections in the Republic of Cyprus were held in 1959, while the first multiparty parliamentary elections took place the following year.
The separation of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities started in 1963. The separation resulted in the formation of a de facto division of the island in 1974. The Turkish-Cypriot-controlled north of the island is only recognized by Türkiye. Meanwhile the Greek-Cypriot-controlled region - the Republic of Cyprus - is the only internationally recognized government on the island.
The Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus, adopted in 1960, as amended through 2020, provides the framework for the country’s political institutions and governance. The Republic of Cyprus is a presidential republic, and governs via central and local government structures.
The Republic of Cyprus government consists of the Executive and Legislative branches, complemented by the Judicial branch. The central government is led by the President of the Republic, who is directly elected for a maximum of two consecutive five-year terms, and acts as both Head of State and Head of Government. The executive power of the Government is exercised by the President, the Vice President (with the latter remaining vacant since 1964), and the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers comprises 11 Greek Cypriot ministers, eight deputy ministers and a spokesperson, and is led by the President of the Republic. Although under the 1960 Constitution, three of the ministerial posts are reserved for Turkish Cypriots, appointed by the Vice President, these posts are currently filled by Greek Cypriots. The legislative body is a unicameral legislature made up of the House of Representatives (Vouli ton Antiprosópon), whose members serve for a five-year term and are directly elected by voters through both a proportional representation and preferential vote. Three seats each are reserved for the Latin, Maronite, and Armenian religious groups. The judicial branch hosts the Supreme Court of Cyprus which consists of the Court President and 12 judges, as well as subordinate courts.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment
Women’s right to vote and stand for elections was first ensured in the country in 1960. The first woman in parliament, Ayla Halit Kazim, was elected in 1963.
Cyprus has seen progress regarding gender equality and women’s empowerment, as highlighted in the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Gender Gap Index, where Cyprus ranks 84th out of 146 countries, an improvement from its 2023 ranking of 106th and its 2022 ranking of 93rd. However, women still face relevant barriers in terms of political and economic empowerment: their representation in Parliament has decreased from 21.4 percent at the beginning of 2021, to 14.3 percent in July 2024. Women are also underrepresented in the economy, especially in decision-making positions, as they are only 8.2 percent of top managers in firms. Less than six in ten women are active in labour market – even when employed, they still face a gender pay gap of more than 20 percent.
Structure of parliament
The Parliament (Vouli Antiprosopon) is composed of 80 members – of which 56 members are elected by the Greek Cypriot community while 24 are elected by the Turkish Cypriot community. However, the Turkish Cypriot seats have remained vacant since 1964. The members of parliament are elected directly by the public for a five-year term.
Cyprus does not have a gender quota in place.
Women's representation in parliament
As of July 2024, the Parliament of the Republic of Cyprus has eight women members, representing 14.3 percent of the total 56 deputies. The President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, is a woman. The next elections will be held in 2026.
Forecast based on past trends
If changes continue at the current pace, this is how women's representation in parliament will look like by 2030.
We calculated this forecast by taking the average rate of improvement from 1995 to 2023 and projecting it into the future.
Forecast based on recent trends
If changes registered in the past five years continue, this is how women's representation in parliament will look like by 2030.
We calculated this forecast by taking the average rate of change in the past five years and projecting it into the future.
Best case forecast
If the situation improves similarly to the country performing best in the region, this is how women's representation in parliament will look like by 2030.
We calculated this forecast by taking the rate of improvement from the country performing best in the region and accelerating the change with this amount over five years and then keeping it constant.
Worst case forecast
If the situation deteriorates similarly to the country registering the worst drop in the region, this is how women's representation in parliament will look like by 2030.
We calculated this forecast by taking the drop rate in the country performing worst in the region and deteriorating the situation with this amount over five years and then keeping it constant.
Women Chairpersons of Parliament Committees
The Parliament of the Republic of Cyprus has 17 specialized Standing Committees on the topics of Foreign and European Affairs; Financial and Budgetary Affairs; Internal Affairs; Defense Affairs; Education and Culture; Transport, Communication and Works; Energy, Trade, Industry and Tourism; Agriculture and Natural Resources; Labour and Social Insurance; Legal Affairs, Justice and Public Order; Health Affairs; Development Plans and Public Expenditure Control; Refugees-Enclaved-Missing-Adversely Affected Persons; Environment; Human Rights and Equal Opportunities for Men and Women; Institutions, Merit and the Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsperson); Observation of the Rules of Procedure. These are complemented by the Committee of Selection, the Ad Hoc Committee on the Study of the Demographic Problem; the Special Committee on Declaration and Examination of Financial Interests; the Ad Hoc Committee on the Revision and Modernization of the House Rules of Procedure; the Special Committee on Ethics of the Members of the House of Representatives; and the Subcommittee on Regulations on the Public Service Terms of Employment.
As of July 2024, women are the chairpersons of the Committee on Financial and Budgetary Affairs (Christiana Erotokritou), and the Committee on Human Rights and Equal Opportunities for Men and Women (Irene Charalambides). Annita Demetriou, as President of the House of Representatives, takes on the role of Chairperson for the Committee of Selection, the Special Committee on Ethics of the Members of the House of Representatives, the Special Committee on Declaration and Examination of Financial Interests, the Standing Committee on the Observation of the Rules of Procedure and the Ad Hoc Committee on the Revision and Modernization of the House Rules of Procedure.
Structure of government
Central government
As defined in the Constitution, the President of the Republic of Cyprus holds powers in enforcing legislation passed by the House of Representatives. The President of the Republic chairs the Council of Ministers, forming the Government, which is responsible for carrying out foreign and domestic policies and overseeing the activities of ministries and other national bodies.
The current president is Nikos Christodoulides, who has been in power since February 2023. Cyprus has not yet had a woman President of the Republic, while, as of July 2024, there are seven women in the Council of Ministers, of which two are ministers: Athina Michaelidou (Minister of Education, Sport and Youth) Maria Panayiotou (Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment); and five are deputy ministers: Irene Piki (Deputy Minister to the President), Marina Hadjimanolis (Deputy Minister of Shipping), Marilena Evangelou (Deputy Minister of Social Welfare), Vasiliki Kassianidou (Deputy Minister of Culture), and Marilena Raouna (Deputy Minister for European Affairs).
Ministers or Cabinet Members
Irene Piki
Deputy Minister to the President
Athina Michaelidou
Minister of Education, Sport and Youth
Maria Panayiotou
Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment
Marina Hadjimanolis
Deputy Minister of Shipping
Marilena Evangelou
Deputy Minister of Social Welfare
Vasiliki Kassianidou
Deputy Minister of Culture
Marilena Raouna
Deputy Minister for European Affairs
Local government
The establishment and operation of municipalities are governed by the Municipalities Law of 1985. At the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, there were 39 municipalities, whereas currently nine are not under the Republic of Cyprus Government-controlled areas.
However, they maintain their legal status under the Republic of Cyprus, where they temporarily maintain and operate their headquarters/offices. Further to a reform applied in 2024, 20 municipalities (excluding the nine temporarily relocated) are formed within five districts.
Both municipality and community-level local governments are made up of executive and deliberative bodies. The deliberative body of municipalities consists in a municipal council, composed of 16-30 elected members, including the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The deliberative body of community-level governments consists in a community council composed of four-eight elected members, including the community leader and deputy community leader. The executive body of municipalities consists in an administrative committee composed of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, and additional members. The Mayor, the Deputy Mayor and the municipal council are directly elected by the citizens for a five-year term. The Mayor executes the decisions of the council and generally oversees all the services of the Municipality, which s/he guides and controls. The executive body of local-level governments consists in the community leader, assisted by a deputy community leader. There is no gender quota for local level government representation.
The Union of Cyprus Municipalities was formed to coordinate the municipalities’ services and needs. The Union of Cyprus Municipalities has never had a woman president.
For more information on gender quotas adopted at the national level, visit the women in parliament section.
Structure of public administration
The central government is responsible for developing the main directions of, and organizing the implementation of the socio-economic policy of the country, its defence, security, public order, and for coordinating and supervising the provision of public services, in particular on matters of health care and education up to the secondary level, in addition to providing agricultural support and environmental protection services.
The local government is responsible for developing infrastructure, providing local services, including in the areas of public health and sanitation, issuing contracts, and imposing taxes and fees at the local level.
Women’s representation as employees and decision-makers in public administration
This visualization was developed based on data provided by GIRL@University of Pittsburgh.
Data across countries and territories is not comparable. For more information about the methodology and sources used, read here.
Over the past two decades, women’s representation in public administration in Cyprus has significantly increased at both the employee and decision-making level. In 2004, women constituted 32.4 percent of public administration employees, but by 2023 they represent 46.1 percent of employees. What is even more remarkable is the significant growth in women’s representation at the decision-making level, rising from 18.6 percent in 2003 to 50 percent in 2023.