The election of Tufan Erhürman as the new Turkish Cypriot leader has reignited a sentiment long faded among young people in the north: hope.
A generation that grew up in disappointment, stagnation and uncertainty is beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel - not necessarily because the political landscape has changed overnight, but because, for the first time in years, they feel heard.
Young Turkish Cypriots, tired of living on the margins, of emigrating, of being excluded from decision-making view Erhürman’s rise as the start of something new.
With a calm, inclusive and politically mature voice, the new leader appears to speak for that segment of society yearning for democracy, social justice and a return to dialogue on the Cyprus issue.
From Nicosia to London, Turkish Cypriot youth are rallying around a shared message: the future must be shaped not by the generations of the past, but by those who will live it. Speaking to Politis, young people describe a new wave of participation and faith in their society’s collective power.
They know that one election cannot transform everything. Yet, for many, Erhürman represents something deeper, the return of political faith and shared responsibility. With words like hope, unity and dignity, young Turkish Cypriots are redefining their generation’s story - turning frustration into purpose, and despair into determination.
For the first time in years, the phrase “a common tomorrow for all Cypriots” does not sound like utopia, but necessity.
The architects of change
For Cankan Kabataş, one of the most active young figures in the community, the driving force behind Erhürman’s victory was clear: the youth.
“Young Turkish Cypriots played an active role at every stage of the election process - they became one of the main architects of change,” he said. “The results gave us pride in a collective achievement.”
Kabataş says young people want to look to the future with confidence and live freely in their homeland, without having to emigrate. “Erhürman’s election strengthened that feeling. Young people trust their leader and believe in the steps he’ll take for their future.”
He adds that many young voters fully understood the stakes for the Cyprus problem. “After years of paralysis - after a leader who avoided the negotiating table - Erhürman’s knowledge and experience bring back trust in the process,” he said.
Kabataş also made a heartfelt appeal to Greek Cypriots: “For the sake of our shared future, demand a return to the negotiating table and insist on a solution. Change can only come when the people truly want it.”
A breath of fresh air
Speaking from London, where she lives and works, Buse Apel says she left Cyprus not out of choice but necessity. “Cyprus is not just where I come from - it’s part of who I am,” she said. “In recent years it was hard to stay optimistic. The Cyprus issue felt frozen, and hope was fading. But Erhürman’s election brought back something we’d lost - genuine optimism.”
For her, the new leader embodies inclusion, equality and a shared way forward. “We’re tired of divisions and discrimination. We want leaders who listen, who believe that cooperation is strength, not weakness.”
On the Cyprus problem, she said she now feels real hope. “Change may come slowly, but it can come. The people did their part by choosing a leader who stands for peace and dialogue. Now it’s his turn to honour that trust.”
Apel dreams of a Cyprus “where young people don’t need to leave to find opportunities, where Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots live side by side again, and where our homeland becomes a symbol of unity, not division.”
“It may sound idealistic,” she said, “but that’s the Cyprus we dream of, and with the right leadership, it’s not impossible.”
A fragile political landscape
For Hakki Cinkilic, Erhürman’s success is no accident but the product of a political culture built on dialogue and participation. “He has a reputation as an inclusive leader who can talk to people with different views - that’s what made him so popular among young voters,” he said.
Erhürman’s constant reference to hope, Cinkilic added, resonates deeply with a generation facing daily socio-economic challenges and international isolation. “In that sense, hope isn’t just an emotion, it’s a political force.”
On the Cyprus problem, he believes the election shows the Turkish Cypriot community remains committed to reunification and a federal solution. But he warns that the political scene remains fragile. “If talks fail again without a credible commitment from the Greek Cypriot side to genuine political equality, interest in alternative models - even a two-state solution - will grow,” he cautioned. “That’s why a serious restart of the dialogue is now essential.”
The wind of change blows wgain
For Selçuk Görsay, Erhürman’s election is “more than a political shift, it’s a beacon of hope in the hearts of young people.”
“We were the driving force behind this change,” he said. “We believed in a future based on unity and peace, and now we feel we can build it.”
Görsay was sharply critical of the previous leadership, which he described as “imposed by Turkey and disconnected from young people’s reality.” “The election results prove it. We were exhausted. We needed a leader who truly represents us, and Erhürman is that leader,” he said.
He described the new leader as “calm, intelligent and diplomatic, someone who can steer the Cyprus problem onto a new course.”
“This problem has lasted decades,” he said. “Young people have never seen real progress, only stagnation. They don’t remember when the crossings opened. They only know today’s reality. And yet, for the first time, it feels like something is changing.”
“After five lost years, we finally have leadership that believes in solutions and diplomacy,” Görsay added. “I feel a wind of change blowing - and this time, I believe we’re heading somewhere real.”