Cypriot presidential election, 1959

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The Presidential elections held on December 13, 1959, were the first to take place in the soon-to-be independent Republic of Cyprus.

There were two candidates for the post: Archbishop Makarios III and lawyer Ioannis Clerides. The former had the support of the mainstream centre and right of Cypriot politics while the latter had the support of those to the right of Makarios, the left-wing AKEL and all those dissatisfied with Makarios and the Treaties of London and Zurich.

Makarios handily won the elections and was subsequently sworn in as the first President of Cyprus.


Candidate Party Votes %
Archbishop Makarios Patriotic Front 144,501 66.85
Ioannis Clerides Democratic Union 71,753 33.15