Voting starts for Cyprus’ presidency, with 3 front-runners

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS
Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cypriots began voting for their eighth new president in the ethnically divided island’s 62-year history as an independent republic, with three front-runners each portraying themselves as the safest bet to guide the country through turbulent economic times and to seek peace with breakaway Turkish Cypriots. Opinion polls indicate that none of the three — all of whom have been close associates of outgoing President Nicos Anastasiades — will muster more than half of the votes, which is the bar for an outright win in Sunday’s first round of voting. Instead, the top two will likely move forward to a runoff in a week’s time. Some 561,000 citizens are eligible to vote.