Tufan Erhürman’s victory may change the balance in Northern Cyprus

On Sunday, October 19, 2025, presidential elections were held in Northern Cyprus, resulting in a confident victory for the leader of the opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Tufan Erhürman. According to preliminary official results, he received around 62.7% of the vote, compared to 35.8% for incumbent president Ersin Tatar. Voter turnout was about 64–65% among 218,313 registered voters.

Erhürman, known as a supporter of resuming negotiations on the Cyprus issue and developing cooperation with the southern part of the island within a federal framework, emphasized in his first statement that “all foreign policy matters will be handled in consultation with Turkey.”

Reactions from Ankara and Nicosia

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated the newly elected president, stating that the elections “once again demonstrated the democratic maturity” of Northern Cyprus and promised to continue defending the rights of Turkish Cypriots.

Meanwhile, from Turkey’s nationalist wing, particularly MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, came a call for the Northern Cypriot parliament “to convene immediately and decide on unification with Turkey.”

From the Greek Cypriot side, the newly elected president also received congratulations. Nikos Christodoulides expressed readiness to resume negotiations, emphasizing that any settlement must comply with UN resolutions and EU norms. Some Greek Cypriot politicians interpreted Erhürman’s victory as a sign that Turkish Cypriots are rejecting the idea of two independent states.

What comes next

Erhürman’s victory is seen as a potential turning point in relations between Northern and Southern Cyprus, as well as between Ankara and Nicosia/Athens. However, serious questions remain regarding Turkey’s position and role on the island, and how independent the new president’s course will truly be.

Observers will be watching the formation of his cabinet, the definition of his foreign policy line, and his approach to reunification talks. This election may mark the beginning of a major change that could determine Cyprus’s future.