Volt Cyprus

{{Infobox political party | name = Volt Cyprus | native_name = Βολτ Κύπρος Volt Kıbrıs | logo = Logo of Volt.svg | colorcode = {{Political party data|color}} | colours = {{Color box|{{Political party data|color}}|border=darkgray}} Purple | president = Andromachi Sophocleous Panos Loizou Parras | chairperson = Lysia Demetriou Charilaos Velaris | general_secretary = Choulousi Kilim | spokesperson = Pieros Karoullas | foundation = 2021 | ideology = Pro-Europeanism European federalism United Cyprus Progressivism<ref name=":1" /> | website = {{Political party data|website}} | registered = {{start date and age|2023|12|3|df=y}} | country = Cyprus | abbreviation = Βολτ Volt | european = | affiliation1_title = European political alliance | affiliation1 = Volt Europa | seats1_title = House of Representatives | seats1 = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house}} | seats2_title = European Parliament | seats2 = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|EP}} | seats3_title = Municipal Councils | seats3 = {{Composition bar|1|443|hex={{Political party data|color}}}} }} '''Volt Cyprus''' ({{langx|el|Βολτ Κύπρος|Volt Kýpros}}, {{langx|tr|Volt Kıbrıs}}) is a political party in Cyprus and the Cyprus branch of Volt Europa, a Eurofederalist pan-European political party and movement, which advocates for greater European cooperation across Europe.

== History == Volt became active in Cyprus with a close cooperation with the movement New Wave - The Other Cyprus with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on 4 November 2021. In it, the movements agreed to cooperate more closely and merge after the 2023 presidential election and New Wave - The Other Cyprus renamed itself into ''Neo Kyma || Volt Cyprus - The Other Cyprus''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-07 |title="Nα μάθουν στους πολίτες τις αξίες της ευρωπαϊκής αλληλεγγύης" |url=https://politis.com.cy/politis-news/na-mathoyn-stoys-polites-tis-axies-tis-eyropaikis-allileggyis/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207144752/https://politis.com.cy/politis-news/na-mathoyn-stoys-polites-tis-axies-tis-eyropaikis-allileggyis/ |archive-date=2022-02-07 |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=politis.com.cy |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Economidou |first=Xenia |date=2021-11-14 |title=Neo Kyma joins Volt, the pan-European movement |url=https://neokyma.org.cy/neo-kyma-joins-volt-the-pan-european-movement/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=Νέο Κύμα – Η Άλλη Κύπρος |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-12-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204203121/https://neokyma.org.cy/neo-kyma-joins-volt-the-pan-european-movement/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> With their candidate Constantinos Christofides they received 1.6% of the vote in the first round of the election.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Κύπρος: Χριστοδουλίδης εναντίον Μαυρογιάννη στον β΄γύρο – DW – 05/02/2023 |url=https://www.dw.com/el/%CE%BA%CF%8D%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%82-%CF%87%CF%81%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B4%CE%BF%CF%85%CE%BB%CE%AF%CE%B4%CE%B7%CF%82-%CE%B5%CE%BD%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%AF%CE%BF%CE%BD-%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%85%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%AC%CE%BD%CE%BD%CE%B7-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BD-%CE%B2%CE%B3%CF%8D%CF%81%CE%BF/a-64617725 |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=dw.com |language=el}}</ref>

On 26 October 2023, Volt, New Wave and the Famagusta for Cyprus movement announced their merger and the formation of Volt Cyprus as a party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-04 |title=New political party 'Volt Cyprus' to be unveiled tomorrow |url=https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/new-political-party-volt-cyprus-to-be-unveiled-tomorrow/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=in-cyprus.philenews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> On 27 November, Member of Parliament Alexandra Attalides, of the Ecologists at the time, announced that she would become a member of Volt.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-27 |title=Ανακοίνωσε συμπόρευση με το ΒΟΛΤ η Ατταλίδου. "Ένα καλύτερο βήμα να αγωνιστώ" |url=https://cyprustimes.com/politiki/anakoinose-syborefsi-me-to-volt-i-attalidou-ena-kalytero-vima-na-agonisto/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=cyprustimes.com |language=el}}</ref> On 3 December, the party adopted its statutes at its founding party conference and elected Alexandra Attalides and Charilaos Velaris as chairpersons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Το νέο κόμμα Volt Cyprus είναι γεγονός, ποιος ανέλαβε την Προεδρία (ΦΩΤΟ) {{!}} AlphaNews.Live |url=https://www.alphanews.live/politics/neo-komma-volt-cyprus-einai-gegonos-poios-anelabe-tin-proedria-foto |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=www.alphanews.live |language=el}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-03 |title=Volt Cyprus: Γεγονός το νέο κόμμα – Όλα τα ονόματα που εντάχθηκαν |url=https://www.sigmalive.com/news/politics/1169378/volt-cyprus-gegonos-to-neo-komma-ola-ta-onomata-pou-entaxthikan |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=sigmalive.com}}</ref> Hulusi Kilim, a Turkish Cypriot, was elected Secretary General, making him the first Turkish Cypriot politician to hold the highest office in a party that is active in the Republic of Cyprus and Volt the only party that currently unites both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities under one roof.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Solutions |first=BDigital Web |title=Συνέντευξη: Η βιωσιμότητα μιας πιθανής λύσης εξαρτάται από εμάς |url=https://www.kathimerini.com.cy/gr/politiki/1-synenteyxi-i-biosimotita-mias-pithanis-lysis-exartatai-apo-emas |access-date=2023-12-26 |website=Kathimerini.com.cy |language=el}}</ref>

== Policies == As part of the pan-European movement Volt Europa, the party aims to solve current challenges and issues such as climate change, migration and artificial intelligence through closer European cooperation.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-12-17 |title=Ατταλίδου στη CT: Με δικό του ψηφοδέλτιο και 6 υποψήφιους στις ευρωεκλογές το Βόλτ |url=https://cyprustimes.com/politiki/attalidou-sti-ct-me-diko-tou-psifodeltio-kai-6-ypopsifious-stis-evroekloges-to-volt/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=The Cyprus Times |language=el}}</ref>

=== Cyprus conflict === Volt is in favour of a united Cyprus. To resolve the Cyprus conflict, the party is in favour of reopening communication channels between the different parts of the country in order to close the communication gap created by closed checkpoints. To this end, it proposes, among other things, to abolish obstacles such as double insurance for cars and charges for telephone calls between the different parts of the country. Intra-Cypriot trade is to be strengthened in order to create mutual dependencies. The ceasefire regime should be strengthened through a peace agreement and common Cypriot interests should be placed more at the center.<ref name=":0" />

=== European policy === The party aims to establish a federal united Europe with a common European army, a European government with a European prime minister, and a European ministry of finance and economy to better respond to global challenges.<ref name=":1" />

== Organisation == The party is led by a dual leadership consisting of a man and a woman.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-26 |title=Hopeful new party Volt Cyprus aims to fill political gap |url=https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/hopeful-new-party-volt-cyprus-aims-to-fill-political-gap/ |access-date=2023-12-26 |website=in-cyprus.philenews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Election ==

=== European Parliament 2024 === Volt's programme for the European elections was adopted on 27 November at the Volt Europa General Assembly in Paris and applies equally to Volt throughout Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Volt Europa Unveils Bold Vision for Europe and Elects New Leadership |url=https://volteuropa.org/news/olt-europa-unveils-bold-vision-for-europe-and-elects-new-leadership |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Volt Europa |language=en}}</ref> On 25 February, the party elected its 6 candidates. The leading candidates are Andromache Sophocleous and Hulusi Kilim. The list also includes the investigative journalist Makarios Drousiotis.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-24 |title=Volt Cyprus announces candidates for EU elections with Makarios Drousiotis featuring |url=https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/volt-cyprus-announces-candidates-for-eu-elections-with-makarios-drousiotis-featuring/ |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=in-cyprus.philenews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== National elections 2026 === Volt participated in the legislative election 2026 with 56 candidates.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Κάσια |first=Χριστίνα |date=2026-02-27 |title=«Κλείδωσαν» οι 56 υποψήφιοι του Volt, επικύρωσαν το ψηφοδέλτιο για τις Βουλευτικές |url=https://www.alphanews.live/vouleftikes-ekloges-2026/kleidosan-oi-56-ypopsifioi-tou-volt-epikyrosan-to-psifodeltio-gia-tis-vouleftikes/ |access-date=2026-04-11 |website=AlphaNews}}</ref> The party lost its single seat held by Alexandra Attalides.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-24 |title=DISY wins Cyprus election as far right surges and new parties enter parliament |url=https://en.philenews.com/politics/cyprus-election-2026-final-results-disy-wins-elam-surges/ |access-date=2026-05-25 |website=en.philenews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Election results == === Parliament === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ House of Representatives ! rowspan="2" | Election ! colspan="3" | Votes ! colspan="2" | Seats |- ! style="width:50px" | # ! style="width:50px" | % ! style="width:50px" | Rank ! style="width:50px" | # ! style="width:50px" | ± |- ! 2026 | 11,487 | 3.09 | 10th | style="text-align:right;" | {{Composition bar compact|0|56|{{party color|Volt Cyprus }}}} | new |}

=== European Parliament === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ European Parliament ! rowspan="2" |Election ! colspan="3" |Votes ! colspan="2" |Seats |- ! style="width:50px" |# ! style="width:50px" | % ! style="width:50px" |Rank ! style="width:50px" |# ! style="width:50px" |± |- !2024 |10,777 |2.92 |7th | style="text-align:right;" |{{Composition bar compact|0|6|{{party color|Volt Cyprus }}}} |new |} == References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://voltcyprus.org/en Official website]

Category:Political parties established in 2023 Category:Political parties in Cyprus Cyprus Category:2023 establishments in Cyprus