A moderate won the Turkish Cypriot presidential election on Sunday, defeating hardliners in a crucial vote that could help revive United Nations talks on the reunification of Cyprus.
Center-left politician Tufan Erhuman achieved victory at the polls with 62.8% of the vote from just over 218,000 registered voters, defeating incumbent President Ersin Tatar on a promise to reinvigorate negotiations with Greek Cypriots over the future of Cyprus.
A lawyer, Erhuman has vowed to explore a federal solution – long supported by the United Nations – to end the island’s nearly 50-year division.
Tatars and Türkiye – the only country that recognizes Northern Cyprus – supported the two-state policy, which was rejected by the Greek Cypriots.
Cyprus was divided in 1974 by a Turkish invasion triggered by a brief Greek-backed coup, following sporadic fighting after the collapse of a shared administration in 1963. Northern Cyprus was proclaimed in 1983 and peace talks have stalled since 2017.
Cypriot President and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides congratulated Erhuman, underlining his commitment to the resumption of peace talks.
Tatar, who came to power in 2020, received 35.8% of the vote.
The president of Northern Cyprus has the responsibility of representing the Turkish Cypriot community in negotiations with the Greek Cypriots, who represent Cyprus in the European Union and have an active say in Turkey’s aspirations to join the bloc.
Mehmet Ali Talat, Turkish Cypriot leader from 2005 to 2010, said Ankara could adapt its approach to the idea of a two-state deal.
“Can things change? I think so. It depends on what Turkey manages to achieve with a solution,” Talat told the Greek Cypriot newspaper Politis in an interview published on Sunday.
Source: Terra
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