Elam leader Christos Christou said on Wednesday that Elam will seek to chair the parliamentary committees on education and environment in the new House of Representatives, following the party’s strong electoral performance in Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

Speaking on CyBC, Christou said the party intends to claim the leadership of three parliamentary committees, identifying education and environment as two of its priorities while also leaving open the possibility of seeking the defence committee chair.

Christou said the requests are based on Elam’s electoral strength and parliamentary regulations governing committee representation.

“Based on Elam’s percentages, and in accordance with the regulations of the House, we can assume such committee chair positions,” he said.

He also referred to discussions surrounding the allocation of committee chairs to smaller parties, including Alma and Direct Democracy, stating that Elam would insist “that the law be implemented”.

The remarks come days after Elam doubled its parliamentary representation from four seats to eight, emerging as one of the biggest winners of the election and strengthening its position within the new legislature.

On education, Elam has repeatedly promoted a nationalist and socially conservative platform centred on what it describes as the preservation of Cyprus’ “religious and national identity”.

The party has opposed bicommunal educational initiatives and state subsidies benefiting Turkish Cypriot students, while criticising gender-neutral terminology and diversity policies within the education system.

In January 2025, Elam attacked the Education Ministry’s eDea digital registration platform for using the terms “Parent 1” and “Parent 2”, accusing the ministry of adopting a “woke agenda”.

The party also objected to optional participation in Orthodox religious studies classes, arguing that “religious studies should not be optional or by choice”.

Elam has also sought cuts to state funding linked to bicommunal programmes and Turkish Cypriot student support schemes, including grants connected to The English School.

The party argued that public funds should prioritise Greek Cypriots and opposed what it described as “confidence building measures”.

On environmental matters, Elam has attempted to position itself as supportive of conservation issues while concurrently standing by hunting organisations, especially on calls for a more laisse-faire approach to the outright ban on trapping songbirds for the controversial delicacy ‘ambelopoulia’.

The party has also repeatedly opposed development projects in the Akamas Peninsula, describing the area as “the last virgin land in free Cyprus”.

Elam MPs have also campaigned against asphalt plants and industrial developments near residential communities in areas including Mitsero and Vasilikos, arguing that environmental policy must prioritise “public health and the environment”.

At the same time, the party has criticised aspects of European green taxation policies, describing new environmental levies as unfair burdens on taxpayers.

On defence, Elam maintains a strongly nationalist security platform focused on military strengthening and opposition to a federal solution to the Cyprus problem.

The party advocates increased defence spending, closer strategic cooperation with Greece and more recently with Israel, and a hardline approach to migration, which it frequently frames as a national security issue.

Christou reiterated on Wednesday that Elam would not support either a candidate backed by Annita Demetriou or a nominee proposed by Akel in the upcoming vote for House president, underlining the party’s intention to operate independently within the new parliament.

Speaking on election night, Christou described the result as “a significant, huge victory” and said the outcome placed “a greater responsibility” on the party “for the future of Cypriot Hellenism in the next five years”.

Before the election, Christou had argued that a stronger Elam presence in parliament would allow the party to pursue “more social and national policies” and exercise greater influence over legislative decisions.