Cypriot parliament approves reforms to election procedures and operational rules

The Cypriot Parliament has introduced a series of legislative changes during the final plenary session of the current term. The primary reform concerns the election of the Speaker of the House, which will now require an absolute majority of 29 out of 56 votes in the first round. If no candidate secures this, a second round will be held between the two leading candidates, requiring a simple majority, with a public draw as the final tie-breaking mechanism. Additionally, the process for appointing a replacement for the Speaker will change from prioritizing the eldest member to allowing the designation of any member of parliament. To improve transparency, live broadcasts of parliamentary committee meetings will resume. Furthermore, a two-and-a-half-hour time limit has been imposed on committee meetings to increase efficiency. These measures aim to modernize parliamentary operations and eliminate outdated protocols.