Turkish Cypriots elect Tufan Erhurman in northern Cyprus polls

Turkish Cypriot Leader Ersin Tatar Defeated in Landslide Victory for Centre-Left Candidate Tufan Erhurman.

In a decisive victory, centre-left candidate Tufan Erhurman has won the presidential election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) with 62.76% of the vote. His closest rival, incumbent Ersin Tatar, secured just 35.81%. The landslide win marks a significant shift in Turkish Cypriot politics, as Erhurman's Republican Turkish Party (CTP) took control of the government.

Erhurman, a 55-year-old lawyer born in Nicosia and educated at the University of Ankara, has pledged to restart negotiations with Greek Cypriots aimed at reunifying the island. His campaign focused on unity and collaboration, appealing to voters who sought a more inclusive approach to resolving the decades-long dispute.

The election was held under the supervision of the TRNC Supreme Election Board, with over 218,000 registered voters participating in the polls. Tatar, who has been supported by the Turkish government, advocated for a two-state solution for Cyprus, which is not in line with Erhurman's vision for federal reunification.

Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides congratulated Erhurman on his victory, reaffirming his commitment to resuming negotiations with Turkish Cypriot leaders. The Greek side has consistently rejected the two-state proposal, viewing it as incompatible with the United Nations and EU-endorsed framework for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.

Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan also congratulated Erhurman in a post on social media, pledging that Turkiye would "continue to defend the rights and sovereign interests" of the breakaway territory. The Turkish government has long been involved in the Northern Cyprus dispute, with Ankara maintaining more than 35,000 peacekeepers in the region.

Erhurman's win marks a significant turning point in the history of Northern Cyprus, as he seeks to revive stalled negotiations and establish a new path for reunification.

This is crazy how fast the politics can change! I was following this election closely and now Tufan Erhurman has won with a landslide . 62.76% of the vote, that's insane! I'm hoping he'll be able to bring some progress on the reunification talks between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots . It would be amazing to see the island united again. The fact that Erhurman's party took control means they're gonna have a different approach than before, maybe less focus on two-state solution . Fingers crossed for a better future!

I'm low-key hyped about this development . It's like, Tufan Erhurman is bringing a breath of fresh air to the island after years of stalemate. I mean, who wouldn't want to put politics aside and work towards unity? The fact that he won with 62.76% of the vote just shows how much voters are craving change. It's gonna be interesting to see what kind of progress Erhurman can make on the reunification front. Maybe we'll finally see a real shift towards federalism instead of this two-state nonsense . The Turkish government's continued support for Ersin Tatar is also kinda puzzling, but I guess it just goes to show that they're still stuck in the past . Anyway, Erhurman's got a tough job ahead of him, but if anyone can do it, he's your guy .

just saw this news and i gotta say, it feels like tufan erhurman is the people's champ . 62.76% of the vote is crazy! i think its about time northern cyprus gets some real progress on reunifying with greece. erhurman's all about unity and collaboration, which is exactly what we need more of in politics these days . hope he can make some real waves and get those negotiations going again

omg just saw that tufan erhurman won the election his message of unity and collaboration is exactly what turkey cyprus needs rn cant wait to see him restart those negociations with greek cypris so many people in trnc are finally excited about a change after all these years hope he can bring peace and prosperity back to the island erhurman's win is like, super historic for turkey cyprus

I think this is a big deal for Northern Cyprus, you know? For years they've been stuck on this two-state thing with Greece Cypriot and it's just not working out. Tufan Erhurman's win is all about moving forward and finding a new way to solve the problem. It's like, we need a united island here, not separate states

And I'm curious to see how the Greek side will react to this change in leadership. Nikos Christodoulides congratulating Erhurman on his win is a good sign that there's some progress being made here. Plus, it'll be interesting to see if the Turkish government sticks to its word and supports Erhurman's vision for federal reunification

It feels like a fresh start for Northern Cyprus, you know? And who knows, maybe this will be the push they need to finally make some real progress on the island

omg, what's up with the election system in TRNC?! i mean, erhurman wins by like 27% margin and still takes most seats... can't say im surprised tho, centrist politics is where it's at gotta wonder how tatar was so far behind... maybe its time for a change in trnc? and what's the deal with all the foreign influence in cyprus politics? turkey's always playing its role, but cant they just let the locals decide?!

omg, this is huge ! i was thinking erhurman would never beat tatar so easily . 62.76% is insane!!! did you see the state of trnc politics before? it's like they were stuck in a time warp . now with erhurman at the helm, maybe we'll finally get some progress on that cypriot thing... and nice move by nikos christodoulides to congratulate him too . Erdogan's tweet was pretty cool i guess . but seriously, erhurman's message of unity really resonated with the voters, no wonder he won so big . fingers crossed for this federal reunification thing... maybe we'll see some real change in cyprus soon .

just saw the result of that election and i gotta say erhurman's win is like a breath of fresh air for northern cyprus... finally someone who wants to unite the island instead of tearing it apart with this two-state solution nonsense tatar's been stuck in the past for too long, its about time we move forward towards federal reunification and cooperation with greek cypriots erhurman's got some big shoes to fill but if he can deliver on his promises, it could be a game changer for this island

Just read about this election result Tufan Erhurman winning with that huge margin is crazy! I think it's a game changer for Turkish Cypriot politics, finally getting a leader who wants to unite the island his vision of federal reunification is the way forward imo

I dont get why Tufan Erhurman won so bigly... isnt Ersin Tatar his opponent? like, one team or one side or something? So why did the people vote 62.76% for him and only 35.81% for Tatar? Isnt that a pretty big difference? I just dont get how politics works sometimes...

I'm loving this shift in Turkish Cypriot politics! Tufan Erhurman is a breath of fresh air, you know? A federal solution sounds way more promising than that two-state nonsense . It's about time someone takes the reins and starts building bridges instead of walls. The fact that he won with such a landslide is a testament to how fed up people are with the status quo. And let's be real, the Turkish government's involvement has been, well... questionable at best . I'm excited to see where Erhurman takes this new path for reunification!

I'm kinda surprised by this outcome, you know? I mean, Tatar was considered super stable and in charge, but Erhurman's message about unity and collaboration really resonated with people. It's gonna be interesting to see how he tackles the Cyprus issue - federal reunification is a pretty bold move. The fact that Greek Cypriot President Christodoulides is already on board with it is a good sign. I'm curious to know what Erhurman plans to do first, like, restart those negotiations or something?

this is interesting i think erhurman's win is a big deal for cypriot politics his focus on unity and collaboration could be just what northern cyprus needs after years of stalemate with greek cypriots the fact that he won without the support of the turkish gov sounds like a major shift in power dynamics but you never know how things will play out now that erhurman's in charge

I'm kinda bummed about this election result tbh . I mean, Erhurman's all about unity and collaboration, but it feels like Tatar just kinda gave up on the whole reunification thing . Like, what happened to the passion and idealism? And now Erhurman's gonna have to deal with all these expectations and pressures from both sides . Not to mention the Turkish government's involvement - it's like they're just waiting for someone to take the fall for them . I'm rooting for Erhurman to make a difference, but it's hard not to feel like this is just another step in the same old cycle of politics .

So Tufan Erhurman won big time... 62.76% is crazy! I'm all for unity and collaboration, but I gotta wonder what's gonna happen with the talks with Greek Cypriots. I mean, they've been saying no to the two-state thing for ages. Can't say I'm surprised Ersin Tatar got thrashed though... his whole two-state solution vibe just didn't resonate with the voters.

I'm curious to see how Erhurman's gonna revive these talks and make progress on reunification. It's a big job, but if anyone can do it, he might be the one . Still gotta keep an eye on how things play out in the long run... not sure what the Turkish government's got up their sleeves on this one

Just got the news about Tufan Erhurman winning the presidential election in Northern Cyprus . 62.76% is like whoa! Guess the Turkish Cypriots are ready for change . Ersin Tatar's two-state solution just didn't resonate with people, I guess . Now we gotta see how Erhurman's gonna revive those negotiations . Fingers crossed it'll lead to reunification and an end to all this division . Turkish President Erdogan congratulating him is cool too . Guess the Turkish government will have to back down a bit . Can't wait to see what the future holds for Northern Cyprus !

omg u guys cant believe whats happenin in northern cyprus ! so tufan erhurman just won the election with 62.76% of the vote and its like a whole new chapter is openin up for the region he's all about unity and collaboration which i think is super refreshing especially after years of this two-state solution thingy the turkish gov has been involved in this dispute for ages & it sounds like erhurman wants to shake things up a bit anyway, i'm keeping an eye on how this all plays out

Erhurman's win means Turkey's gonna have to think twice about their two-state solution

OMG, just saw that Tufan Erhurman won the presidential election in TRNC ! 62.76% of the vote is insane! I'm actually kinda stoked about this, hope he can make some real progress on reunifying the island . The Turkish government's two-state solution is so last century , it's time for federal reunification!

And I love that both Greek and Turkish leaders are already congratulating Erhurman - this bodes well for some actual progress . Fingers crossed he can get the stalled negotiations back on track . Maybe we'll actually see a united Cyprus soon?