2009 Northern Cypriot parliamentary election

19 April 2009
All 50 seats in the Assembly of the Republic 26 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	81.06%
Party Leader % Seats +/– UBP Derviş Eroğlu 43.97% 26 +7 CTP Ferdi Sabit Soyer 29.34% 15 −9 DP Serdar Denktaş 10.64% 5 −1 TDP Mehmet Çakıcı 6.87% 2 +1 ÖRP Turgay Avcı 6.20% 2 New This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Prime Minister before Prime Minister after Ferdi Sabit Soyer CTP Derviş Eroğlu UBP

Politics of Northern Cyprus
Constitution
Executive President Ersin Tatar Prime Minister (list) Ersan Saner List of cabinets of Northern Cyprus
Legislature Assembly of the Republic Speaker Teberrüken Uluçay Political parties
Elections Recent elections Presidential: 2015 2020 Parliamentary: 2018 2022
Administrative divisions First level: Six districts Second level: Twelve sub-districts Third level: Twenty-eight municipalities
Foreign relations United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus Turkish invasion of Cyprus Politics of Cyprus Passport Visa requirements Visa policy Diplomatic missions of / in Northern Cyprus
Other countries

Parliamentary elections were held in Northern Cyprus on 19 April 2009, a year earlier than necessary.^[1] The early election was decided upon by the ruling Republican Turkish Party.^[2] Winning the largest portion of the vote, the National Unity Party won the election, and the party chairman, Derviş Eroğlu, became Prime Minister.^[3]

171,000 Cypriots were eligible to vote. It has been claimed that of these as many as 100,000 were originally Turkish immigrants.^[4]

Results

The National Unity Party (UBP) won the election with 44% of the vote.^[5] The Republican Turkish Party (CTP) received 29% of the vote.^[5]

Analysis

The UBP's strong anti-unification position means that the results are likely to halt UN efforts to reunify Cyprus.^[6] However, the UBP stated after its election victory that it wanted the talks to continue.^[7] The UBP remains opposed to a federalist solution, however, and prefers a two-state solution; while analysts have stated that the UBP is unlikely to directly work against the talks, it might shore up resentment and opposition if the talks drag on too long or if it considers the outcome to be unfavourable.^[8]

Reactions

Derviş Eroğlu, the UBP chairman and the Prime Minister, stated, "I am proud that Turkey is our main native country. Thanks to our native country we are living calm and safe."^[3] In addition, many Turkish Cypriots celebrated the UBP victory.^[9] On the other hand, Greek news agency ANA-MPA reported "despair has gripped the Republic of Cyprus" following the release of early election results.^[3]

Some analysts say that the new parliament could create difficulties for Mehmet Ali Talat, the peace negotiator for the Turkish Cypriots. With Talat's party gaining slightly fewer seats, "... it is obviously going to limit Talat's ability to act in a lot of ways, you know parliament is going to have a much greater say in all of this and really can tie his hands."^[10]

References