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The ease with which married couples in Cyprus end up getting divorced is becoming a significant social problem, at a time when the number of marriages continues to remain relatively stable.
In other words, Cypriots seem to find it easy to get married and even easier to end their marriages.
The divorce rates in Cyprus should serve as a warning, since, according to figures presented by the Statistical Service, one-third of marriages are expected to end in divorce…
Despite the fact that thousands of marriages take place in Cyprus every year, many of these couples will nevertheless fail to remain together.
This is a social problem with a huge impact on the institution of the family, which has suddenly begun to lose its appeal in a Cypriot society suffering from economic inequalities, job insecurity, and accumulated financial problems.
All these factors, combined with the pressures of everyday life, appear to prevent married couples from resolving their problems, resulting in divorces becoming increasingly common…
At the same time, fewer and fewer people in Cyprus are choosing to have a religious wedding, preferring either a civil marriage or a Civil Partnership Agreement.
Let’s look at what the figures show
According to the latest data from the Statistical Service for 2024, the total number of marriages fell to 10,334, from 11,766 the previous year (2023).
Of the total marriages that took place in 2024, 3,801 were religious marriages, representing a decrease from 2023, when 4,355 religious marriages were held.
By contrast, civil marriages in 2024 amounted to 6,533, also showing a decrease from 2023, when there were 7,411.
At first glance, it is clear that civil marriages were almost twice as numerous as religious marriages. Certainly, however, an important role in these figures is played by the proportion of marriages involving non-residents of Cyprus, who choose the easier option of a civil marriage. Specifically, of the 6,533 civil marriages that took place in 2024, only 1,908 were marriages between residents of Cyprus.
As for divorces, the figures show a very small decrease in divorces in 2024 compared with 2023; nevertheless, the rates remain high.
More specifically, in 2024 there were 2,107 divorces, compared with 2,134 in 2023. According to the figures, the divorce rate was 2.16 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024, compared with 2.23 in 2023.
The overall divorce ratio—that is, the rate indicating how many marriages are expected to end in divorce—reached very high levels. Specifically, it stood at 347.5 divorces per 1,000 marriages in 2024, whereas in 1980 it was only 41.6 per 1,000.
In other words, one in three marriages in Cyprus is expected to end in divorce and be dissolved…
Civil Partnership Agreements
As was also evident from the figures on civil marriages, the traditional religious form of marriage is increasingly moving away from the minds of Cypriots. An important factor in this development has also been the Civil Partnership Agreement, the numbers of which have gradually increased significantly.
It is worth noting that the first civil partnerships in Cyprus were registered in 2016, with a total of 93. From that year until 2024, a significant increase has been recorded.
Specifically, 917 civil partnerships were registered in 2024, while the previous year (2023) saw 929. In addition, 74 civil partnerships were dissolved in 2024.
As for the other years:
2017: 175 civil partnerships
2018: 259
2019: 582
2020: 812
2021: 1,083
2022: 1,001
More specifically, in 2024, 96.2% (882) of the civil partnerships involved residents of Cyprus, while the remaining percentage involved people residing abroad.
Of the 882 civil partnerships registered between residents of Cyprus in 2024, 839 involved heterosexual couples, while 43 involved same-sex couples.
A general conclusion that can be drawn from the above figures is that marriage does not appear to provide any stability to the union between two people, since it can be dissolved so easily…