In view of the likely resumption of talks over the Cyprus issue, premature parliamentary elections took place in the occupied part yesterday. Eight parties and nine independent candidates ran for the 50 seats in the pseudo-parliament, while abstinence went over 37, 5%.

The National Unity Party (UBP) came first in the elections in the north on Sunday, gaining 36,5% of the vote and securing 21 seats in the “parliament”.

The second place was gained by the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) with 21,8% of the vote (12 seats) and was followed by the People’s Party (HP) with 16,9% (nine seats).

According to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), the Republican Turkish Party lost 17% of its voters compared to the elections in 2013.

During the election that was held on July 28, 2013, Özkan Yorgancıoğlu and his Republican Turkish Party had won by getting 38% of the vote and 21 seats.

UBP leader Huseyin Ozgurgun stated on Sunday that the people had given the party a mandate, adding that the UBP’s goal is to achieve an even higher level of prosperity and to ensure the protection of the Turkish-Cypriot people.

Turkish-Cypriot media said that the election participation rate was a mere 62%, with only 118,142 voters casting their ballot out of a total of 190,551.

Although the outcome will not influence the position of the Turkish-Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, who is dealing with the negotiations of the Cyprus issue, the election of a government that is in favour of a federal solution could prove supportive in a resumption of talks.

Source: thegreekobserver.com