Greek Cypriot nationalism


Greek-Cypriot nationalism, also known as Cypriot Hellenism is an ethnic nationalism emphasising Greekness of the Cypriot nation, whilst contrasting with Greek nationalism which aspires to integrate Cyprus into Greece as its main and number one objective. Having abandoned the idea of Enosis, Greek Cypriot nationalists now have the aim of a Greek Cypriot-controlled state with close relations to Greece, the "motherland". Variants of the nationalism have been espoused by the centre-right Democratic Party, the right-wing New Horizons, Socialists, the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus, and nationalist elements within the centre-right Democratic Rally.
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 led to an initial marginalisation of Greek Cypriot nationalism and the consequent rise of Cypriotism, in opposition to traditional Greek nationalism; however, the 1981 election of Andreas Papandreou as Prime Minister of Greece with his policies of "nationalising" the Cyprus problem and his February 1982 visit to Cyprus led to a renewal of Greek Cypriot nationalism. In November 1993, Andreas Papandreou and President of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides announced the merging of Greek and Cypriot foreign and defense policies, under a new "Joint Defense Space Doctrine", and in 2004 Cyprus became a member of the European Union, which was seen as the best possible alternative to Enosis.
Greek Cypriot nationalism and Cypriotism contrasts, with opposing views on Cyprus dispute causes and solution perspectives, corresponding to right-left political opposition. The slogan for Greek Cypriot nationalism is "Cyprus belongs to Greece", while for Cypriotism it is "Cyprus belongs to its people".

History

The Ottoman Empire ceded administration of Cyprus to the United Kingdom with the secret Cyprus Convention. During World War I, the British formally annexed Cyprus as a crown colony. The 1950 referendum on unification with Greece, organized by the Orthodox Church, with only Greek Cypriot vote eligibility, ended with 96% approval. Greece appealed to the UN in 1954 to apply the right for self-determination on Cyprus. The Cypriot conflict led to Greek Cypriot victory and UN peacekeeping establishment on the island. The London-Zürich Agreements led to the independence of Cyprus, proclaimed on 16 August 1960. Several coups were staged by Orthodox bishops against Makarios III in March 1972 to July 1973.
The 1974 Cypriot coup d'état, staged by the Cypriot National Guard and Greek military junta, was successful, but short-lived, as it sparked the Turkish invasion of Cyprus that led to the fall of the junta and the Turkish occupation of 36.2% of Cyprus' territory. In 1983, the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" was unilaterally declared, but has so far failed to achieve international recognition, and has been under a severe international embargo.

Political parties

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