I am delighted to hear that Stavros Malas has made it to the 2nd round of the Presidential Elections in Cyprus. I had the chance to meet him 3 months ago and discuss his vision for a genuinely universal National Health System; a ground-breaking vision which is so desperately needed in the country.

He is a very approachable, patient and kind person. I was impressed by his authoritative knowledge of health economics and the political economy of social care.

Unlike most politicians I have met over the years, Stavros Malas definitely has the ability/ skill to actively listen and make the discussant feel engaged in a meaningful conversation.

To sum up, Stavros' attributes (knowledgeable, committed to social justice, receptive to new ideas, respectful and modest) makes him the perfect antidote to the toxic post-truth climate we live in. I wish him best of luck and I wholeheartedly hope that he will be the President of the Republic of Cyprus next week.