Nicos Anastasiades beats rival for a second time as voters approve his handling of the island's once crisis hit economy
ADVERTISEMENTCyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has won Sunday's run-off, giving him a second five-year term. (Feb 4)
The conservative leader swept aside his leftist rival Stavros Malas taking 56 percent of the vote.
In his victory speech the returned president called for unity and cooperation He said, "Whatever has been said during the election campaign, tonight it is all forgotten. Now, what matters is how we will work together as of tomorrow, in order to solve our problems."
Anastasiades appears to have won the confidence of voters after containing the island's 2013 economic crisis
One supporter said, "He inspires trust in investors and in general and at the beginning when he started five years ago things were bad but now things are improving so we don't need any other changes."
"Since he managed to get through the first hard five years, I think that the next five years will be easier for him to implement what he promised the people, for the poor people, for pensions."
Seen as a pro-settlement candidate Anastasiades is also likely to want to resume failed peacetalks with the Turkish Cypriot controlled north .
Euronews reporter Efi Koutsokosta explained what is now facing the winner:
"During his first mandate Nikos Anastasiades goal was to get his country out of a deep financial crisis. Today he defeated for the second time the same rival. Tomorrow he will have to deal with the economic problems that remain but also with the restart of the longstanding Cypriot dispute."