Newly elected President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades waves to supporters during a proclamation ceremony at Eleftheria stadium in Nicosia February 24, 2013 (Photo: Reuters)
Lawyer Nicos Anastasiades, elected on Sunday as Cyprus's new president, has earned a reputation as a political bruiser in a long career in the unforgiving spotlight of the east Mediterranean island's politics.
During campaigning, he painted himself as a safe pair of hands trusted by the movers and shakers in Europe, and as a man who can rebuild a national reputation tarnished under the stewardship of communist Demetris Christofias.
Christofias's five-year term saw Cyprus sink into the worst economic recession in its history, with the once prosperous country suffering harsh austerity measures, a property slump and record unemployment.
Anastasiades campaigned under the slogan "The crisis needs a leader."
The new leader's credentials will be tested under his first task as president -- to secure a 17-billion-euro loan deal for the island's crumbling economy and troubled Greek-exposed banking sector.
A founder of the rightwing Disy party who became its leader in 1997, Anastasiades rose through the ranks and has been elected to parliament uninterrupted since 1981.
His firm and sometimes ruthless control of Disy, where open dissent is a rarity, ensured that any young pretender was swiftly sidelined. He takes the nickname of "tassaki" (ashtray) after having reportedly hurled one at dissenters.
His standing was tarnished when he supported a UN peace plan for the divided island that the Greek Cypriots later overwhelmingly rejected in a 2004 referendum.
But Anastasiades managed to keep a firm grip on the party despite the defection of some MPs opposed to his "Yes" stance, a position he has since distanced himself from if only to win the backing of the centre-right Diko party.
Consensus politics is his approach to the Cyprus problem, saying he will be governed by collective responsibility rather than any personal initiative.
This may be to placate the Diko vote which takes a much tougher line on the Cyprus problem.
The island has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and seized its northern third in response to an Athens-inspired coup aimed at uniting Greece and Cyprus.
It is testament to Anastasiades' political acumen that he has kept Disy united and a major force despite his nadir in 2004 -- which his election rivals have constantly used against him.
He is arguably more popular than before.
The 66-year-old is seen as a leader who wants EU involvement in the reunification bid, but also one with without a clear strategy to break the deadlock in UN-sponsored negotiations.
Nevertheless, his strong European credentials and pro-West ideals contrast starkly with the outgoing leftist government that was sceptical of Europe and anti-NATO.
Anastasiades has constantly played on his strong ties with leaders in the European People's Party, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attended a January EPP meeting in Cyprus to endorse his candidacy.
Anastasiades says he will implement comprehensive economic reforms, and is seen as someone the EU can deal with to push through harsher austerity measures for a much-needed bailout.
However, his perceived bias towards big business may put him on a collision course with influential and powerful trade unions if they feel he is ready to introduce privatisation as part of a bailout deal.
Christofias declared himself the champion of the working class by snubbing demands from international lenders to sell off state companies and ditch annual bonus salaries.
Anastasiades, born in Pera Pedi village in the Limassol district in 1946, married Andri Moustakoudi in 1972. They have two daughters.
He studied law at Athens University and did a postgraduate diploma in shipping law in 1971 in London. He has been a practising lawyer since 1972.
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