For nearly fifty years, Cyprus has attracted considerable international attention. However, while numerous volumes have been written on the causes and consequences of the conflict between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities and the many efforts to reunite the island, very little work has been done on the domestic politics and society in the Republic of Cyprus. This volume addresses this major gap in the literature by providing the first comprehensive examination of the institutions of governance and the political environment in Cyprus. As well as focusing on issues such as the presidency, parliament, the legal system, local government and civil society, it also analyses and explains the historical development of politics in Cyprus and the ways in which the conflict between the two communities, the division of the island and, more recently, European Union accession have all affected the conduct of politics and system of government.

The Editors: James Ker-Lindsay is Senior Research Fellow at the Hellenic Observatory, London School of Economics.
Hubert Faustmann is Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Nicosia.

Contents: James Ker-Lindsay/Hubert Faustmann: Introduction - Hubert Faustmann: Aspects of Political Culture in Cyprus - Hubert Faustmann: The Colonial Legacy of Division - Hubert Faustmann/James Ker-Lindsay: The Origins and Development of the Cyprus Issue - Christophoros Christophorou: The Evolution of Greek Cypriot Party Politics - James Ker-Lindsay: Presidential Power and Authority - James Ker-Lindsay: The National Council - Giorgos Charalambous: The House of Representatives - Altana Filos: Legal and Judicial System - Diana Markides: Local Government - Yiouli Taki/David Officer: Civil Society and the Public Sphere - Erol Kaymak: The Development of Turkish Cypriot Politics.