Turkish Cypriots Vote for New Leader as Peace Talks Remain Stalled

Turkish Cypriots in the breakaway north cast their ballots on Sunday in a presidential election seen as a key test of whether long-stalled talks to reunify the divided island can be revived.

Incumbent Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, who advocates a two-state solution, is facing his main challenger, Tufan Erhürman, a center-left opposition figure who supports resuming UN-sponsored negotiations for a federal settlement with Greek Cypriots.

Greek Cypriots have firmly rejected Tatar’s two-state proposal, while peace talks have been at a standstill since 2017.

Seven candidates are contesting the election, but opinion polls suggest a close race between Tatar and Erhürman. If no candidate wins outright, a runoff vote will be held on October 26.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the island following a brief coup backed by Greece. Sporadic clashes had already occurred after the collapse of the island’s power-sharing administration in 1963.

The self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey. Polls opened at 0500 GMT and closed at 1500 GMT, with results expected late Sunday night.