Voters in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) went to the polls to elect the country’s president for a five-year term. Unofficial results released by the Supreme Election Board indicate that Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman has won the presidency.

“Foreign policy will consult Türkiye”

Erhürman secured 62.76% of the vote, defeating independent candidate Ersin Tatar, who received 35.81%. Speaking after his victory, Erhürman said, “Determining a foreign policy in Cyprus without consulting Türkiye will not happen during my term.”

Addressing citizens in Lefkoşa, Erhürman confirmed that all foreign policy and negotiations over the Cyprus issue will be coordinated with Türkiye. He also expressed gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Reactions from Turkish President Erdoğan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated Erhürman via social media, praising Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) democratic maturity and pledging continued support for the country’s sovereignty and interests.

As Türkiye, we will continue to defend the sovereignty and interests of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus alongside our Turkish Cypriot brothers on all platforms.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Two-State vs. Federation Debate

The election campaign refocused attention on solutions for the Cyprus issue. Ersin Tatar supported a two-state model, backed by Türkiye, while Erhürman advocated for the long-discussed federation approach. This divide effectively turned the election into a referendum on competing visions.

Who is Tufan Erhürman?

Born in Lefkoşa in 1970, Erhürman graduated from Türk Maarif Koleji in 1988 and Ankara University Faculty of Law in 1992. He later served as a research assistant and lecturer in law at several universities, earning a doctorate with his thesis on “Non-Judicial Oversight and the Ombudsman.”

Erhürman began his political career in 2005 as part of President Mehmet Ali Talat’s negotiation team. He was elected to parliament in 2013, became CTP Secretary General in 2015, party leader in 2016, and served as Prime Minister in 2018. He is married with one child.