Opposition center-left leader Tufan Erhürman has been elected president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with 63% of the votes, defeating incumbent Ersin Tatar, backed by Turkey. This victory boosts supporters of the island's federal reunification, divided since 1974. Erhürman pledges equality and freedom, while in the south it is hailed as a positive message to resume negotiations.
Turkish Cypriots voted on Sunday for a change in the presidency of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), an entity recognized only by Turkey that controls the northern third of the island. Tufan Erhürman, until now the center-left opposition leader, secured 63% of the votes against 35% for Ersin Tatar, avoiding a second round. Erhürman advocates a federal solution to reunify Cyprus, in contrast to Tatar, who supports partition into two states and has Ankara's backing.
Cyprus has been divided since the 1974 war, with the southern part joining the European Union in 2004. Erhürman's victory is seen as good news for reunification. In his first statements, he pledged: “The Turkish Cypriot people have shown we are not divided. Brotherhood has triumphed. As president, I will be the guardian of equality and freedom”.
Across the Green Line, patrolled by UN peacekeepers, Stefanos Stefanou, leader of the leftist AKEL in the south, welcomed the results: “The Turkish Cypriot community has decided in favor of a federal solution and reunification. It is a positive and hopeful message. Now we must focus on resuming negotiations where we left them”.
The win is a setback for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government backed Tatar. In 2020, Turkey was accused of interfering to secure his narrow victory. The TRNC is economically dependent on Turkey, but its society has advanced in democratization and secularism, causing tensions, such as April protests against imposing veils in schools due to Ankara's pressure.
Erhürman has assured he will consult Turkey on foreign policy, though Erdogan now favors partition. Ultranationalist leader Devlet Bahçeli criticized the low turnout and urged the conservative-majority Turkish Cypriot parliament to reject the results and vote for annexation to Turkey.