A presidential election exit poll by Cyprus’ state broadcaster shows incumbent President Nicos Anastasiades facing a runoff with independent candidate Stavros Malas, who’s backed by the communist AKEL party.
The exit poll released by broadcaster RIK when voting ended Sunday showed Anastasiades leading with 38 percent to 42 percent of the vote, followed by Malas with 27-31 percent.
Nicholas Papadopoulos, leader of the centre-right DIKO party and son of Cyprus’ late President Tassos Papadopoulos, trailed in third place with 21.5 percent to 24.5 percent.

Candidates needed a majority of the votes cast to avoid a runoff election on Feb. 4.
Malas has criticised Anastasiades for not reaching a deal with the leader of Cyprus’ breakaway Turkish Cypriots to reunify the ethnically split island.

source: Reuters