Over 218,000 voters participated in the leadership election of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), a pivotal event that may influence the island’s future political landscape.
Published On 19 Oct 2025
In a decisive outcome, opposition contender Tufan Erhurman emerged victorious in the TRNC presidential race, overcoming the sitting president Ersin Tatar, according to the Turkish Cypriot High Electoral Council.
Erhurman, leader of the centre-left Republican Turkish Party (CTP), garnered 62.76% of the ballots, while Tatar received 35.81% in the election held on Sunday.
Following the results, Erhurman expressed unity, stating, “This election has no losers; the Turkish Cypriot community has triumphed collectively.”
He further assured, “I will carry out my duties, especially regarding foreign affairs, in close coordination with the Republic of Turkiye. There is no cause for concern,” highlighting Ankara’s enduring involvement in Northern Cyprus.
At 65, Tatar, backed by the Turkish government, supports a two-state solution for Cyprus. In contrast, Erhurman, a 55-year-old Nicosia-born lawyer educated at Ankara University, plans to revive talks with Greek Cypriots aimed at a federal reunification of the island. He has prior experience in negotiations during Mehmet Ali Talat’s leadership from 2008 to 2010 and served as TRNC prime minister between February 2018 and May 2019.
Northern Cyprus, which occupies less than one-third of the Mediterranean island, is recognized solely by Turkiye, which maintains a peacekeeping force exceeding 35,000 troops in the area.
A Fragmented Island
The division of Cyprus dates back to 1974, following a coup in the south aimed at uniting the island with Greece. In response, Turkey intervened militarily, leading to the Turkish Cypriots declaring independence in 1983, nearly a decade later.
Cyprus became a member of the European Union in 2004; however, only the Greek Cypriot south, which hosts the internationally recognized government, benefits fully from EU membership. Despite this, many Turkish Cypriots living in the north hold EU-recognized Cypriot passports.
Greek Cypriots oppose the two-state solution, viewing it as incompatible with the United Nations and EU-supported framework advocating a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.
With approximately 218,000 registered voters, polling stations across Northern Cyprus closed at 15:00 GMT on Sunday. The TRNC Supreme Election Board supervised the vote counting process at multiple locations throughout the territory.
Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides extended his congratulations to Erhurman, reaffirming his dedication to restarting dialogue with Turkish Cypriot leaders.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also congratulated Erhurman via social media, emphasizing that Turkiye will persist in safeguarding the rights and sovereign interests of the self-declared state.
