Yiannakis Matsis

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Yiannakis Matsis (born 24 October 1933) is a Greek Cypriot politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the European People's Party from June 14, 2004, until his non-re-election in the 2009 European elections. Born on October 24, 1933, Matsis has been an active figure in Cypriot politics and international affairs.

Matsis was first elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Lefkosia Electoral District with the Democratic Rally party in the 1981 Parliamentary elections. He went on to serve multiple terms, including re-elections in 1985, 1991, and 1996. In 1993, he became President of the Democratic Rally, succeeding Glaukos Clerides who had been elected as President of the Republic of Cyprus.

Matsis's involvement with the European People's Party led to his election as an MEP in 2004. However, he disagreed with the party on its stance regarding the Annan Plan for resolving the Cyprus problem, which was put to a referendum on April 24, 2004. Matsis opposed the plan and subsequently founded the "Europe" movement, from which he won re-election as an MEP.

As an MEP, Matsis participated in the European People's Party group and played a role in shaping European policy. His involvement with various political movements and parties reflects his commitment to Cypriot politics and international cooperation.

Matsis is married to Argyrula Charalambous and has two children. He continues to be active in Cypriot politics, albeit at the local level, as he did not seek re-election for another term as an MEP in 2009.