Newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman delivered a unifying message following his decisive electoral victory on Sunday, pledging to serve all citizens with neutrality, regardless of political affiliation.
Erhürman won the elections with 62.76% of the votes, in a landslide victory over incumbent Ersin Tatar who secured 35.81%. Turkey fully supported Tatar's election bid and openly interfered in the campaign.
“From this moment on, I am the leader of all my people, with complete impartiality,” Erhürman declared, shortly after unofficial results showed him securing a commanding lead in every district.“As Turkish Cypriots, we all won together. I thank every citizen of our people,” he said.
He extended heartfelt thanks to his own Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and its grassroots volunteer network as well as to the Social Democratic Party (TDP) and former leader Serdar Denktaş for their support. Erhürman also acknowledged those from rival parties, including the National Unity Party (UBP), the Democratic Party (DP), and the Rebirth Party (YDP).
“Our unity has triumphed,” he said. “Brotherhood prevailed, and it remains unbroken. We came together, and we became one.”
Where relations with Turkey are concerned, he assured he would carry out his duties in close cooperation with Ankara, particularly where foreign policy is concerned.
According to the Supreme Electoral Council, voter turnout reached 61%, about three points higher than the first round of the 2020 elections, but six points lower than the second round. Of 218,313 registered voters, 122,195 cast their ballot, with 119,948 valid and 2,247 invalid
Meritocracy and collective governance
Looking ahead, Erhürman reiterated his commitment to inclusive and transparent governance, emphasising that his administration would work as a team.
“I said we would govern together and that is exactly what we will do. It does not matter which party anyone belongs to. Meritocracy will be the foundation of our work.”
He underlined that his priorities will focus on the land and the future of children, pledging to serve as a guardian of freedom and equality for all.
His remarks come amid hopes for a political reset in the north, with many observers interpreting his victory as a sign that the Turkish Cypriot community is seeking a more moderate and reunification-oriented leadership.
Official certification of the results expected from the 'Supreme Electoral Council' on Monday.
Biography
Tufan Erhürman was born in Nicosia in 1970.
He graduated from the Turkish Maarif College in 1988, and subsequently from the Faculty of Law at Ankara University in 1992.
Between 1995 and 2001, he worked as a research assistant in the Department of Administrative Law at the Ankara University Faculty of Law. During those years, he taught Introduction to Law, Administrative Law, and Constitutional Law at the Ankara University Faculty of Law, as well as at Hacettepe University and Middle East Technical University (METU).
He earned his PhD in Law in 2001 with a dissertation titled “Extra-judicial Oversight of the Administration and the Ombudsman.”
From 2001 to 2006, he served as a faculty member at the Faculty of Law of Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU).
After working at the Faculty of Law of Near East University between 2006 and 2008, he returned to EMU. He served as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Law at EMU between 2002–2006 and again from 2010–2013.
Between 2008 and 2010, he was part of the negotiating team of the second Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat.
Erhürman entered 'parliament' following the 'parliamentary elections' of 2013.
He became an Associate Professor of Law in 2014.
From 2015 to 2016, he served as Secretary General of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP). In 2016, he was elected Leader of the CTP at the party’s 26th Regular Congress, a position he held for nine years.
He served as 'Prime Minister' in the four-party coalition government formed after the early general elections of 7 January 2018.
Tufan Erhürman is married and has one child.