The Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar, won the presidential run-off elections held on Sunday, and Ankara welcomed his victory and affirmed its readiness to support and protect the rights of Turkish Cypriots.
The head of the Supreme Elections Commission in Northern Cyprus Narain Fardi Shafiq said, "Prime Minister Ersin Tatar (60 years) won 51.74% of the vote, while the current President of Northern Cyprus Mustafa Akinci (72 years) got 46.26% after counting all the votes."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the victory of Tatars under the presidency of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and said in a tweet that he blessed Ersin Tatar in his name and on behalf of the Turkish people for this victory, indicating that Turkey will continue to make its efforts and everything necessary to protect the rights of Turkish Cypriots.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşolu also welcomed - through a tweet on Twitter - Ersin Tatar’s victory in the presidency of the republic, indicating that Turkey will work hand in hand with the Turkish Cypriots in order to protect the rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots in the Mediterranean.
Ersin Tatar was the prime minister in Turkish Cyprus, and he was known to diverge his views with the former Turkish Cypriot president Akinci on the solution on the island of Cyprus, and Tatars are considered close to Turkey.
Tatar - the leader of the National Unity Party - supports the idea of two separate administrations enjoying sovereignty on the island of Cyprus, while Akinci supports the reunification of the island of Cyprus, which was split in two after the Turkish invasion in 1974 in response to a coup inspired by Greece that lasted for a short period.
Only Turkey recognizes northern Cyprus as an independent country.
In addition to its impact on the talks between the two halves of the island, the outcome of the presidential elections in northern Cyprus may affect the negotiations between Turkey and Greece regarding the claims for sovereignty in the eastern Mediterranean.
The number of voters in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is 199,29, and they cast their votes in 738 election centers.