demetris

Demetris Christofias (Greek: Δημήτρης Χριστόφιας [ðiˈmitɾis xɾiˈstofças]; 29 August 1946 – 21 June 2019) was a Cypriot politician, who served President of Cyprus from 2008 to 2013. He was previously President of the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2008 and General Secretary of the Progressive Party of Working People from 1988 to 2009.
Taking on the challenge of responding to the 2008 financial crisis, he implemented a wide-ranging social program, increasing pensions and the minimum wage. At the end of his term, however, the 2012–2013 Cypriot financial crisis led to a collapse in the banking system. Putting blame on the banks, he attempted to raise taxes on them as a way of funding the island's recovery, but failed to pass this into legislation. Also citing deadlock in reunification talks, he announced that he would not seek re-election, becoming the first Cypriot leader to opt-out of running for a second term. He remains the only communist head of state in the history of both Cyprus and the European Union.

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