Elections

Government, Politics, Civic Information

🗳 Elections in North Cyprus

1. Types of Elections

Northern Cyprus holds regular democratic elections, including:

🗳️Presidential every 5 years

🗳️Parliamentary every 5 years

🗳️Local Elections every 4 years

🗳️By-elections & Referendums as needed

2. Presidential Elections

✔️Voting System: Two-round system (if no candidate gets 50%+ in the first round, top two go to runoff).

✔️Eligibility: Citizens over 35, with higher education, and at least five years of residency.

✔️Powers: The president handles foreign policy and appoints the Prime Minister.

🧠 Recent Example: In 2025, Tufan Erhürman (Republican Turkish Party – CTP) won the Presidency 3. Parliamentary Elections

🗳Held every 5 years (or earlier if a coalition collapses).

🗳Uses Proportional Representation (PR) with a mixed-member district system across 6 electoral districts.

Voters can vote in two ways:

🗳Party Vote: Choose one party list — seats allocated proportionally.

🗳Mixed Vote (Karma Oy): Voters can mix candidates from different parties, selecting individuals rather than parties.

👉 Threshold: A party must get at least 5% of the national vote to enter parliament.

Northern Cyprus has a vibrant but divided political landscape with numerous parties.

5. Election Oversight

🎈Elections are overseen by the Supreme Election Council.

🎈Voting is compulsory on paper, but not strictly enforced.

🎈Election campaigns are generally peaceful, though vigorously debated, especially regarding relations with Turkey and the future of Cyprus.

6. Voter Participation

🙋Voter turnout is typically high (70–80%), showing strong public engagement.

Elections are often a barometer for the population's view on: