Stefanos Stefanou

Cypriot politician

Stephanos Stephanou

Στέφανος Στεφάνου

Stefanou in 2021

6th General Secretary of the
Progressive Party of Working People

Incumbent

Assumed office
4 July 2021
Preceded by| Andros Kyprianou
Member of the Cypriot House of Representatives

Incumbent

Assumed office
2 June 2016
Constituency| Nicosia
Spokesperson of the Government
In office
3 March 2008 – 28 February 2013
Preceded by| Vasilis Palmas
Succeeded by| Christos Stylianides
Personal details
Born|  (1965-01-21) 21 January 1965 (age 60)
Gerolakkos, Cyprus
Citizenship| Cyprus
Political party| Progressive Party of Working People
Spouse| Georgia Zenonos
Children| 2
Education| Social Sciences
Profession| AKEL Secretary General
Signature|

Stephanos Stephanou (Greek: Στέφανος Στεφάνου) is a Cypriot politician,[1] who is the General Secretary of the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) since 2021[2] and serves as a member of the Cypriot House of Representatives since 2016. He represents the Nicosia District.

## Biography

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Stefanos Stefanou was born in Gerolakkos on 21 January 1965.[2] Following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 he moved to Deftera, his father's birthplace.[3] He studied political science at the Academy of Social and Political Science in Sofia, Bulgaria.[2] He is married to Georgia Zenonos with whom he has two daughters.[2]

## Political career

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During his studies he was the president of the Organisation of Cypriot Students in Bulgaria.[4] Following the completion of his studies in 1989, he worked for the United Democratic Youth Organisation (EDON).[4] Since 1995 onwards, he has been a member of AKEL's Central Committee.[2] During the period 1996-2001, he was EDON's General Secretary.[4] During the period 2001-2008 he was a Special Adviser to the President of the House of Representatives, Demetris Christofias.[2] In 2008-2013 he was the Government Spokesperson under Demetris Christofia's administration.[2] Since 2011 he has been a member of AKEL's Political Bureau. Since 2016 he has been AKEL's Central Committee's Spokesperson and AKEL's Head of the Press and Communication Office.[2]

During the 2016 parliamentary election, he was elected as a representative of the Nicosia Electoral District under AKEL for the 2016 Legislative Session.[5] He was re-elected in the 2021 parliamentary election for the 2021 Legislative Session.[6]

As a representative, he is a:

* Member of the Committee of Selection;
* Deputy Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Refugees-Enclaved-Missing-Adversely Affected Persons;
* Member of the House Standing Committee on Development Plans and Public Expenditure Control;
* Member of the House Standing Committee on Financial and Budgetary Affairs and of the Ad Hoc House Committee on the Investigation of Issues Relating to Loans of Politically Exposed Persons, and;
* The Head of the delegation of the House to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM).[2]

At the 23rd Party Congress, held on 4 July 2021, he was elected General Secretary of the party's Central Committee, securing 74 votes or 71.84% against 29 votes or 28.16% obtained by fellow candidate Yiorgos Loukaides.[7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Stephanos Stephanou is the new AKEL General Secretary". in-cyprus.philenews.com. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "House of Representatives - STEFANOU Stefanos". www.parliament.cy. House of Representatives (Cyprus). Retrieved 2021-07-06.
3. ^ "Στεφάνου Στέφανος | ΑΚΕΛ" (in Greek). 2019-07-06. Archived from the original on 2019-07-06. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
4. ^ a b c "Cyprus Government". www.cy2012.eu. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
5. ^ "Stefanos Stefanou". ΑΚΕΛ | Ανορθωτικό Κόμμα Εργαζομένου Λαού. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
6. ^ fm (2021-05-31). "56 new Cyprus MPs sworn in". Financial Mirror. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
7. ^ "AKEL elected Stephanos Stephanou as its new General Secretary". Stockwatch - All about the economy. 2021-07-05. Retrieved 2021-07-06.