Cyprus: Message To Solve It Together

Solve It Together!
The Turkish Cypriot public gave the message that: “Solve the Cyprus issue together for the EU objective but do not overlook the objections of President Denktas. However Denktas should be compromising by considering the wish of the people for a solution,” to the ruling and opposition parties, which equally shared the 50 seats at Parliament. National Unity Party (UBP) and Democrat Party (DP) – the ruling parties in the previous government – got 25 seats; while Republican Turk Party (CTP) and Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH) – the opposition parties – got the remaining 25. Therefore, the will of supporters and opponents of the Annan Plan was equally reflected in Parliament.

The two opposition parties, which succeeded in passing the 5% threshold, got approximately 48% of the votes, while the former ruling parties got 46%. 3 of 7 political parties that joined the elections could not pass the threshold. Ahead of the elections, Mehmet Ali Talat, the leader of CTP, which got approximately 35.20% of the votes, had signed a protocol with Mustafa Akinci, the leader of BDH, which received the 13.13% of the votes, so as to form a coalition government provided that they attained the majority together. UBP, the ruling party, received 32.93% of the votes. DP, the partner of UBP in the previous government, got approximately 12.91% of the votes. CTP became the number-one party of the elections and got 19 seats at Parliament. It was followed by with 18 seats. DP and BDH got 7 and 6 seats respectively. Similar to the opposition parties, UBP and DP had announced that they would form a coalition government if it became possible. However, DP had also declared that it might form a coalition with CTP but on the basis of some conditions. Therefore, a harsh bargaining is expected to take place in Parliament among parties.

About the results, Denktas said, “This is what the public wanted. They (the opposition) convinced the young with promises like EU membership, more money, and more jobs. Nevertheless, commonsense won.” On to whom he would grant the Prime Ministry, Denktas said, “My duty is defined by laws. I will grant the authority to a Prime Minister that can form a government.”