Democratic Rally

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Democratic Rally (Δημοκρατικός Συναγερμός)
 
Image:Disi.jpg
 
Leader Nicos Anastasiades
 
Founded 1976
Headquarters Nicosia, Cyprus
 
Ideology Conservatism,
Liberal Conservatism,
Christian democracy [1]
International affiliation International Democrat Union, European People's Party
European affiliation European People's Party
European Parliament Group European People's Party - European Democrats
 
Website
http://www.disy.org.cy/

The Democratic Rally (Greek: Δημοκρατικός Συναγερμός, Dimokratikós Sinayermós), or DISY, is a centre-right political party in Cyprus, led by Nicos Anastasiades.

The party was founded on 4 July 1976 by veteran politician Glafkos Klerides. Clerides served as Cyprus president from 1993 until 2003.

DISY is a member of the European People's Party (EPP). In the 2004 European Parliamentary Election it gained the 28.2% of the vote, and elected 2 MEPs, Ioannis Casoulides and Panayiotis Demetriou, who joined the EPP-ED Group along with former DISY president Yannakis Matsis.

The leaders of Democratic Rally supported the Annan Plan for the so called re-unification of Cyprus. Following the rejection by the Greek Cypriot Community, four MPs (Sillouris, Prodromou, Erotokritou, Taramoundas) who had opposed the party line were expelled and a number of members willingly resigned. The expelled MPs formed a party called European Democracy. In 2005 European Democracy merged with New Horizons and created European Party. Former party president Yiannakis Matsis headed a splinter coalition For Europe in the European Parliamentary Election. Matsis gained a seat in the European parliament, also joining the EPP group (he is still a member of DISY).

In the elections of 21 May 2006, the party won 30.3 % and 18 out of 56 seats.

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