Dialogos

Video Leak Sparks Controversy Over Cyprus President's Campaign Funding

Published January 8, 2026, 18:00
Video Leak Sparks Controversy Over Cyprus President's Campaign Funding

A video leaked on the platform X has caused a political earthquake in Cyprus, raising serious questions about the funding of President Nikos Christodoulides' election campaign. The video suggests that contributions were made in cash, possibly to circumvent the one-million-euro limit, and that businessmen offered donations through the First Lady's charitable organization, Filippa Karsera-Christodoulidou, in exchange for privileged access to the government. The AKEL party has strongly criticized the situation, demanding immediate and clear answers from the government regarding the authenticity of the video and the allegations it contains. AKEL Secretary General Stefanos Stefanou emphasized the government's delayed response and avoidance of substantive answers to the questions raised. The government responded by characterizing the video as a product of malicious editing and false claims, attempting to refute the allegations. However, it did not specifically deny the reports of campaign contributions and donations from businessmen, which further intensifies the political turmoil. The leak of the video comes at a critical time for Cyprus, just days after the country assumed the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The case threatens to overshadow the country's international image and create problems in the exercise of its European duties. The opposition is expected to exert further pressure on the government, while public opinion closely follows the developments.