The Turkish Cypriot Presidential Election of April 2010: Normalisation of Politics

Abstract

The Turkish Cypriot presidential election of 18 April 2010 attracted extensive international interest because of its expected impact on the prospect for a Cyprus solution. The election of National Unity Party leader and serving Prime Minister, Derviş Eroğlu, in the first round was not a surprise. The main factors accounting for Eroğlu's victory were the state of play regarding Turkish Cypriot relations with the EU, deadlock in the negotiations on the Cyprus question and debate over domestic concerns. This article argues that the 2010 election meant the normalisation of Turkish Cypriot politics, indicating the need to focus on domestic concerns and ending the CTP/Talat interlude of 2003–10. The results do not support a move in public opinion away from a search for a solution.