In a significant step toward reforming state expenditures, a key parliamentary committee in Cyprus has endorsed legislation to curtail the lifelong perks afforded to former presidents and parliamentary speakers. The proposed changes, which now advance to a full legislative vote, primarily target the provision of chauffeured official vehicles, seeking to limit this benefit to a five-year post-term period.
The debate centers on long-standing provisions that guarantee a suite of state-funded privileges for life to individuals who have held the nation’s highest offices. Critics have consistently argued that such indefinite benefits are anachronistic and place an undue burden on public finances, conflating the dignity of the office with perpetual personal advantage. A particular point of contention has been the extension of identical post-service benefits to former House Presidents, a legislative role, as those granted to former Heads of State.
During its session, the House Institutions Committee examined three distinct proposals, ultimately converging on a compromise framework. The committee’s prevailing recommendation stipulates that the state-supplied limousine and driver, currently a lifetime entitlement, will be restricted to a half-decade following an official’s departure from office. Furthermore, associated allowances for fuel and vehicle maintenance would be entirely abolished. However, the committee opted to retain the controversial lifelong monthly stipend of €3,000, designated for secretarial support and classified as non-taxable income.
The committee’s deliberations revealed a spectrum of political will for reform. The basis for the vehicle limitation was drawn from a proposal submitted by House President Annita Demetriou. A more rigorous bill from Alexandra Attalides of the Volt party, which advocated for halving the secretarial allowance and imposing a five-year cap, was rejected on that specific provision. The most sweeping initiative, tabled by Green party leader Stavros Papadakis and calling for the outright abolition of all such privileges, was not adopted by the panel.
Proponents of the reform framed it as a necessary alignment of public service with contemporary governance principles. “The republic must not be identified with the unconditional granting of privileges,” asserted MP Alexandra Attalides. “The meaning of a public position ends with the term and not with death.” She further highlighted a logical inconsistency in the current system, stating, “It doesn’t make sense for the state to keep paying someone who has chosen to lead another organization.”
The legislative package now moves to the plenary session of the House of Representatives, where it will undergo comprehensive debate and a final vote. Should it pass, the immediate impact would see former leaders relinquish their state-provided transportation after a five-year grace period, while the substantial monthly allowance would remain intact. However, the process is likely to encounter further amendment attempts; Attalides has already announced her intention to propose changes during the plenum debate to limit the financial stipend and introduce a clause suspending perks if a former president assumes a significant leadership role elsewhere. The outcome will serve as a tangible measure of the parliament’s commitment to moderating the long-term costs of political tenure.