A landslide victory at the weekend by a pro-European, pro-reunification candidate in Northern Cyprus presidential elections has revived the prospect of reopening long-stalled talks on the divided island’s future. Veteran left-winger Tufan Erhürman of the main opposition Republican Turkish Party resoundingly beat incumbent nationalist and close Ankara ally, Ersin Tatar, on a turnout of 65 per cent, leading to joyous scenes of celebration in the Turkish-occupied north.
UN-brokered peace talks, which last broke down in 2017, had focused on an Erhürman-backed federation of the two parts of the island which has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded in response to a coup sponsored by Greece’s military junta. The self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which declared its autonomy in 1983, has since only been recognised by Ankara and been internationally isolated politically and economically. Its leadership has become increasingly aligned with the Islamist leadership of Turkey’s ruling AKP party.
Cyprus as a whole joined the EU in 2004, but the union’s remit and benefits of membership are only applied in the south, and will not extend across the whole island unless it is reunified.
Erhürman’s victory is seen as a reflection of growing frustration, particularly among the secular young, at the north’s isolation and their disillusionment with increasingly autocratic Turkey, and its 45,000-strong garrison, which has effectively ruled the north as a province.
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Tatar and his National Unity Party have for the past five years been pressing for a two-state solution backed by Ankara. His government has also been dogged by scandals and corruption allegations involving casinos and higher education.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has congratulated Erhürman, arguing that the election reflects the “democratic maturity” of the northern statelet. Whether he now allows the new president the leeway to engage actively in talks with the Greek Cypriot government on the island’s future will be a test of his sincerity.
