ABSTRACT
This chapter drawing on British documentation and information from the Greek-Cypriot press concentrates on the evolution of Cypriot politics in the early post-insurgency period. More precisely, it examines the facts related to the foundation, development and course of decline of EDMA. It finds that after the resolution to the Cyprus Question provided by the Zurich and London Agreements in February 1959, EOKA tried to capitalise its broad political foothold by evolving to a political front that would play a dominant role in the process for the foundation of the Cyprus Republic. Indeed, EDMA’s popularity among the Greek Cypriot masses boosted and the front started enforcing a strenuous programme that affected various aspects of the new state’s public sphere. None the less, EDMA’s life was short and Makarios (after securing Grivas’ consent in October 1959) decided to fundamentally reorganise EDMA on another basis with a view to his candidacy for the office of the President of Cyprus in December 1959. The reasons that urged Makarios to this decision are explored in the last part of the chapter.
