Leader Praxoula Antoniadou Headquarters Nicosia, Cyprus | Founded 1993 Ideology Liberalism
Cypriotism | |
European affiliation Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe International affiliation Liberal International (observer) | ||
The United Democrats (Ενωμένοι Δημοκράτες, Enomeni Dimokrates, EDI) is a liberal political party in Cyprus. The party was founded by former President of Cyprus George Vasiliou in 1993 as "Kinima Eleftheron Dimokraton" (Movement of free democrats). The party later merged with ADISOK (a group of former AKEL members, including Andreas Fantis, Andreas Ziartides and Pavlos Diglis) to form United Democrats. The party is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and observer of the Liberal International.
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History
At the legislative elections, 27 May 2001, the party won 2.6% of the popular vote and 1 out of 56 seats.
During the 2004 Annan Plan Referendum, the party supported the Annan Plan for Cyprus.
In 2005 the party's president George Vasiliou stepped down and Michalis Papapetrou was elected president. In the elections of 21 May 2006, the party won only 1.6% and lost parliamentary representation. After the loss of the parliamentary representation Michalis Papapetrou expressed the will to resign as a leader of the party. In March 2007 the vice-president Praxoula Antoniadou took the leadership of the party.
In the 2011 Legislative Elections, the United Democrats decided to support the governing party, AKEL. The party leader Praxoula Antoniadou was a candidate MP for AKEL.
In August 2011, President Demetris Christofias has appointed United Democrats party leader Praxoula Antoniadou as Minister for the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of the Republic of Cyprus.