Ersin Tatar Secures Support from Another Party Ahead of TRNC Presidential Election

The Democratic Party (DP) has officially announced its support for Ersin Tatar in the upcoming presidential election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The decision was confirmed by DP leader and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment, Fikri Ataoğlu, following a party assembly meeting.

According to Ataoğlu, the party also considered backing Serdar Denktaş, son of the late founding president of the TRNC, Rauf Denktaş.

“The decision to support Ersin Tatar was unanimous,” Ataoğlu said.

With this endorsement, all three parties in the current ruling coalition have now thrown their support behind the incumbent president.

The National Unity Party (UBP), the largest political party in Northern Cyprus, was the first to announce its support back in April. Last week, the Rebirth Party (YDP) followed suit. Now, the Democratic Party has joined them, solidifying Tatar’s backing from the entire coalition.

DP’s decision also means the party will not support its former leader, Serdar Denktaş, who has declared his intention to run in the October election.

Ersin Tatar was previously a member of the UBP before winning the presidency in October 2020. Under the TRNC Constitution, elected presidents must relinquish party affiliation upon assuming office.

As a result, Tatar will be running as an independent candidate in the upcoming election.

His main challenger is expected to be Tufan Erhürman, leader of the opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and a former prime minister.