Tufan Erhurman, a centre-left moderate, won the Turkish Cypriot presidential election on Sunday, defeating incumbent hardliner Ersin Tatar in a pivotal vote that could revive stalled U.N.-backed reunification talks on the divided island of Cyprus.
Erhurman, a lawyer, secured 62.8% of the vote from just over 218,000 registered voters, compared with Tatar’s 35.8%, campaigning on a platform to reinvigorate negotiations with Greek Cypriots and explore a federal solution — a model long supported by the United Nations.
Tatar, who assumed power in 2020, had advocated a two-state policy, backed by Turkey, the only country recognizing the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Greek Cypriots have repeatedly rejected a two-state approach.
Following the result, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Erhurman, describing the election as a “reflection of the democratic maturity of Turkish Cypriots.” He added:
“We will continue to defend the sovereign rights and interests of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus together with our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters on every platform.”
Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides also congratulated Erhurman, emphasizing the new president’s commitment to resuming peace talks.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Turkish invasion followed a brief Greek-backed coup. North Cyprus was proclaimed in 1983, but peace negotiations have stalled since 2017. The president of North Cyprus represents the Turkish Cypriot community in negotiations with Greek Cypriots, who represent the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and have influence in the European Union.
Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat suggested Ankara might reconsider its stance on a two-state solution under Erhurman.
“Can it change? I believe so. It depends on what Turkey can get out of a solution,” Talat told the Greek Cypriot Politis newspaper.
Erhurman’s victory marks a potential turning point for Cyprus, raising cautious optimism that frozen reunification talks could resume after nearly 50 years of division.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Fra...
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's f...
Since 2021, only 9 per cent of $8 billion in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan can be traced beyond initial recipients in public re...
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's foreign intelligence agency, MI6, as a hostile group, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Thousands protested in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday (31 October), demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over perceived corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government over a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
Russia has agreed to work with Ghana on developing a 2,000-megawatt nuclear power plant following talks at the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said on Saturday.
Foreign ministers from the U.S., Japan, Australia and India raised concerns over export restrictions and economic coercion at a Quad meeting in Atlanta, U.S., on Saturday, 31 October 2026, according to their joint statement.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment