Edek leader Nikos Anastasiou announced on Tuesday he is stepping down from the role, saying he had failed in his attempt to unite the party following its historic defeat in the parliamentary elections earlier this year.

His resignation comes just 50 days after the vote, which left the party without parliamentary representation for the first time in its electoral history.

Anastasiou said efforts to heal internal divisions had proved unsuccessful, despite convening every party body, including the central committee, politburo and an extraordinary Pancyprian congress open to all members.

“I notice that, instead of sheathing the knives, they are being sharpened with all that this entails,” he said.

He urged members to move beyond internal disputes and rebuild the party together.

“Let there be self-criticism, responsibility and let us move forward united, leaving behind what divided us and let us build again on solid foundations a militant, socialist and patriotic Edek, which took the lead in all the struggles of this martyred place,” he said.

Anastasiou accepted responsibility both as party president and head of the election campaign, saying he had been unable to achieve the unity he had sought.

“I have failed in my attempt to unite our historic party.”

He said his decision to resign would allow someone else to take over the leadership “who may be able to do it better”.

The resignation follows weeks of internal uncertainty after Edek secured just 3.3 per cent of the vote in May’s parliamentary elections.

On the evening of the election he was reported to have handed in his resignation but was then talked out of it, staying on as party leader since.

Earlier this month, Anastasiou had said the party would undertake a period of reassessment, acknowledging organisational weaknesses and deep internal divisions that had contributed to its collapse at the polls.

“This honoured party will find its way again,” he assured.