Outgoing Akel leader Andros Kyprianou on Friday said just because he would not stand for re-election did not mean he would not continue to support the party.

In his 16-page speech that kickstarted Akel’s 23rd congress, Kyprianou referred to the result of the May parliamentary elections and what the party should do from here on out, the Cyprus issue and the way the government has been handling it, the pandemic, the economy and social problems.

The congress will also decide Sunday on who its new leader would be after Kyprianou decided he would not run again following the poor showing the elections.

The congress will be attended by 1,267 members of the party.

Kyprianou noted that the need for renewal is a life-giving source for the party and is particularly urgent “after the disappointing election result.”

“I consider it my duty to assist the party at this critical and decisive turning point in its history. As many years as I had the honour of being in this position, I tried to give the best I could, to keep Akel upright and consistent in its positions and policy,” he said.

Kyprianou said that the party must find the courage to face the mistakes and omissions, to identify the problems, shortcomings and weaknesses and to face them decisively with a spirit of self-criticism.

He said the party’s decades-old moral advantage has been tarnished due to the cases of corruption that emerged concerning prominent members of the ranks.

“First and foremost, we, those who carry the party identity, must be examples of honesty and purity. Whoever cannot stand this, whoever cannot do it, simply cannot possess the Akelite identity,” he said. “And we had such cases even among former senior executives of our party,” Kyprianou said.

He stressed the need of leading by example and called on the Akel executives and local committee members to be more active so that the party can regain its pioneering role in society.

Kyprianou also called on members to refrain from intraparty strife.

“If we publicly criticise the leading members with such ease believing that this is how we promote ourselves, how much do we help the party?” he asked.

Kyprianou also referred to the Cyprus issue and said the party will continue to fight to prevent the “partition nightmare” and insist on the restart of the talks from where they left off in Crans-Montana in 2017.

He called on President Nicos Anastasiades to make good use of the motive offered to both communities and Turkey by the benefits of the discovery of hydrocarbons

“It is a serious incentive for a solution for both the communities and for Turkey itself,” he said. The Turkish Cypriots will only be able to enjoy the benefits that will arise with a solution while the Greek Cypriots need a stable and secure environment that will allow the smooth use of this valuable asset, he said. “In a similar way, Turkey will be able to benefit from the solution of the Cyprus problem,” he said adding that after the solution, it would be possible for Ankara to start dialogue with the Federal Republic of Cyprus on the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the possibility of commercial cooperation.

“Mr Anastasiades must finally use this motive if he means what he says,” Kyprianou said.

He reiterated that if Anastasiades insists on tried and failed recipes he will lead the island straight to partition.

Members will discuss the poor showing in the elections, the party’s future course, and political and social issues the country is faced with.

Akel is having to ponder its shrinking electoral support in May’s elections in which the party garnered 22.34 per cent of the votes, down by 3.3 per cent compared with the 2016 House elections.

MPs Giorgos Loukaides and Stephanos Stephanou are tipped as favourites in the race to replace Kyprianou. The party’s new central committee will convene on Sunday to elect Akel’s new leader. The result is expected to be announced around 2pm Sunday.