Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday night said that the result of the day’s Turkish Cypriot leadership election – which saw pro-reunification candidate Tufan Erhurman elected in a landslide – “reflected the will of our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters”.

He congratulated Erhurman on his election victory, and said the election “once again demonstrates the democratic maturity possessed by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”.

“Turkey will continue to defend the sovereignty and the interests of the TRNC together with our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters on every possible platform,” he added.

The country’s Vice President, Cevdet Yilmaz, meanwhile, agreed that the elections have “once again demonstrated the maturity of the TRNC as a state and its electorate”, and added that “as a motherland and a guarantor country, we will always continue to stand by the TRNC and the Turkish Cypriots”.

Related Articles

Its foreign ministry congratulated Erhurman, and said that the results “reflect the free and sovereign will of the Turkish Cypriots as well as the state tradition and culture of democracy in the TRNC”.

“Turkey will continue to contribute to the efforts for the peace, prosperity, and development of the Turkish Cypriot people, within the framework of its historical, legal, and humanitarian responsibilities and in accordance with the realities of the island,” it said.

Parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmus also congratulated Erhurman, and said he hopes the election’s result “brings good fortune to the TRNC, to our country, and to the Turkic world”.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said he hopes the result will “be a harbinger of good things for the TRNC and our country”, while former vice president Fuat Oktay said Turkey will “always stand by the will of the Turkish Cypriot people for a solution based on their security, prosperity, and political quality”.

“I hope that these elections will bring a strong future for the Turkish Cypriot people, and I wish for the brotherhood between Turkey and the TRNC to continue growing stronger,” he said.

Opposition party CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, meanwhile, made explicit reference to the Turkish government’s apparent pre-election preference for Erhurman’s election opponent and soon-to-be predecessor Ersin Tatar to win.

“The Turkish Cypriot people, in this election, have not only chosen Erhurman, but have also responded to those who interfere from the outside for their own interests, effectively staging an invasion of the island to propagate their supported side, thereby affirming the TRNC’s democracy and national will,” he said.

“I hope those in Ankara, who not only disregarded our country’s foreign policy decorum but also openly flout the law, resorting to all kinds of smear campaigns to ensure their supported candidate’s victory … have correctly understood the Turkish Cypriot people’s message.”

He added that he values “Erhurman’s calm and constructive approach in matters concerning relations with our state”.

“I share in the hope and the happiness of everyone in the TRNC, which will wake up to a beautiful and brand-new day tomorrow,” he said.

Arrested Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said the Turkish Cypriot people “have once again demonstrated their belief in democracy with their free will today”, before congratulating Erhurman on his victory.

“With his knowledge, consensus-based approach, and sense of responsibility towards his people, I believe he will make valuable contributions to the Cyprus issue during this critical period, and I hope that the Greek Cypriot administration will act fairly and constructively in this process,” he said.

“Let us take this opportunity to offer a reminder that the Cyprus issue is not merely a matter of territory or status, but also a struggle for dignity, equality, and existence. As always, we stand by the legitimate rights, sovereignty, and will of the Turkish Cypriot people to live in peace.”