Akel secretary-general Stefanos Stefanou called on voters to participate “responsibly for the present and future of our society and our Cyprus” after casting his ballot on Sunday morning in Yeri.

Stefanou voted at the 1st Primary School of Yeri shortly before 9am, accompanied by his wife.

Speaking outside the polling station to reporters, Stefanou said “voting is not just a right. It is primarily an act of responsibility,” as he appealed for broad participation in the electoral process.

He urged voters to cast their ballots “keeping in mind the multiple and profound problems facing our society”.

Stefanou also referred directly to the Cyprus issue, calling on citizens to vote “with an eye on the occupied territories and the need to achieve a solution that liberates and reunites our island.”

His remarks placed particular emphasis on younger people and the economic and psychological pressures affecting them.

He said young people in Cyprus are “the most stressed in Europe” and described insecurity and anxiety among younger generations as a growing concern.

“Let us all vote together, therefore, responsibly for the present and future of our society and our Cyprus,” he said.

Following his own vote, he visited polling stations operating within the school complex and spoke with election staff and officials overseeing the procedure.

Akel has centred much of its campaign on social policy, cost of living concerns and renewed efforts toward a settlement of the Cyprus problem within the framework of a bicommunal, bizonal federation.