Enomeni Dimocrates

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The Enomeni Dimokrates (EDI, Greek Ενωμένοι Δημοκράτες , United Democrats') are a liberal political party in the Republic of Cyprus . The party was founded in 1993 by the former Cypriot President Georges Vassiliou and was initially called Kinima Eleftheron Dimokraton (Free Democratic Movement). After merging with a split from the communist party AKEL , it took on its current name in 1996. At the European level, EDI is a member of the liberal European party ELDR .

From 1996 to 2006 EDI had one of 56 seats in the Cypriot Parliament . This was taken by Androulla Vassiliou , the wife of the party founder.

In the referendum on the Annan Plan 2004 on the reunification of the island, EDI campaigned, ultimately in vain, for a yes.

In 2005, the party chairman Georgios Vassiliou resigned, his successor was Michalis Papapetrou . In the parliamentary election the following year , EDI gained 1.6% of the vote and lost the seat it had previously taken. Then Papapetrou resigned and was replaced by Praxoula Antoniadou in 2007 . Androulla Vassiliou became EU Commissioner for Health in the Barroso I Commission in 2008 .

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