Building a Functional and Inclusive State for Cyprus

Cyprus is considering how best to reform its constitutional and political system so that it is fair, stable and effective for all citizens.

• Dinos Toumazos

Any reform ideas need to respect the basic principles of equality, non-discrimination and shared political rights and values that are central to the European Union.

Θεσμική Μεταρρύθμιση, Αποκέντρωση και Λειτουργική Σύγκλιση.

Some countries in Europe and beyond show different approaches to handling diversity in governance:

• Belgium has a complex federal system where different regions and language communities share power. It keeps peace and representation, but it can be slow and difficult to form governments because so many groups must agree.

• Bosnia and Herzegovina organizes its politics around separate ethnic groups. While this can hypothetically protect group identities, it has often led to deadlock and has raised concerns about fair treatment for all citizens.

• Kosovo sets special voting rules and protections for minorities, which can help protect vulnerable communities but also make decision-making slower.

• Lebanon allocates top political positions based on religious identity, which has sometimes resulted in long periods without functioning government.

These examples show that systems based on dividing power by identity can help achieve representation, but they can also create obstacles when decisions need to be made quickly and effectively.

Instead, one way forward for Cyprus is to strengthen local administration and decentralization through provinces rather than creating multiple “states” based on community identity. This approach:

• Protects equality for every citizen, regardless of background,

• Avoids embedding identity into the constitution as a permanent political requirement,

• Allows more direct local decision-making and shared responsibility,

• Keeps the country united under one legal framework.

Reforming the political system to a semi-presidential or parliamentary model, where a prime minister and a government depend on parliamentary support, may also improve cooperation and reduce barriers to working together across political lines. This kind of system encourages parties to form alliances and work collaboratively in government, rather than relying on rigid rules about who must hold particular offices.

At the same time, strong safeguards are essential. To make sure no citizens are treated differently because of their background, the constitution must clearly:

• Guarantee equal political rights for everyone,

• Prohibit discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, religion or identity,

• Protect ordinary people’s right to vote and stand for office,

• Provide independent judicial review when rights are threatened.

By combining practical decentralization, inclusive national governance, and legal protections for equality, Cyprus can build a stable and functional system that serves all its people and respects shared democratic values.

• Dinos Toumazos is a co-founder and director of Agora Dialogue.