Former Cypriot foreign minister and presidential candidate Nikos Christodoulides greets supporters in the western Paphos district, on Sunday. AFP

Nikos Christodoulides, 49, a former foreign minister with the ruling right-wing DISY party now standing as an independent, holds a narrow lead after the first round of voting on Feb. 5 produced the surprise elimination of DISY head Averof Neophytou.

In the runoff vote he faces Andreas Mavroyiannis, 66, also a professed independent, who was chief negotiator in peace talks with Turkish Cypriots and a former permanent representative of Cyprus to the United Nations.

Christodoulides is backed by a smattering of centre and right-of-centre parties and Mavroyiannis by the left-wing AKEL.

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Cyprus's incumbent president, Nicos Anastasiades of DISY, is prevented from seeking a third term by law and has said he backs the party line.

But there have been widespread reports that he wanted the party to back Christodoulides, his protege, in the second round, triggering disagreement in party ranks.

Mavroyiannis got a boost this week when DISY said its members should vote with their conscience, smarting that Christodoulides, a former party member, went rogue with his own bid.

The next president faces problems ranging from a deadlock in reunification talks with Turkish Cypriots on the ethnically divided island and labour disputes stemming from runaway inflation, to fallout from corruption scandals and a spike in migration.

"What is important is unity," Christodoulides said after casting his vote.

Christodoulides is supported by parties which have disparate and hardline views on solving Cyprus's decades-old division. Mavroyiannis is backed by the more moderate AKEL, though both candidates have said peace talks should resume.

For many, Sunday's vote is personal. The Phileleftheros daily called Sunday's outcome a riddle.

"Anger, bruised egos, a vote against AKEL and similarities in ideology are all triggers which could sway today's vote," it wrote on its front page.

Reuters