A first in history: Rival Turkish Cypriot parties to form coalition
by Emre Diner
NICOSIAJul 10, 2015 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Emre Diner
Jul 10, 2015 12:00 am
Efforts to build a new government in Turkish Cyprus have been completed. As part of the work to form the new government, Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı individually negotiated with the leaders of the four political parties represented in parliament. The leading left-wing party of the country, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), and the leading right-wing party, the National Unity Party (UBP), have reconciled on forming a coalition government.
With this reconciliation, the CTP and UBP will build a coalition for the first time in the country's political history. Following the resignation of the CTP-United Forces (BG) and the Democrat Party (DP) and National Forces (UG) coalition government on July 3, Akıncı assigned the duty of forming a new government to CTP-BG Nicosia Deputy Ömer Kalyoncu on July 6.
Yesterday, the UBP and CTP held simultaneous party group meetings in which they negotiated the subject of the two-party coalition. In both meetings, the parties agreed to build a coalition. After the CTP-BG meeting, CTP Chairman Mehmet Ali Talat announced to the press that the negotiations would progress on the matter of a coalition with the UBP. The UBP is to announce its decision today. Talat, who was also the second president of the Turkish Cyprus, underlined that they would exert efforts to found a government as soon as possible.
At its group meeting, the CTP-BG decided on forming a coalition with the UBP. During the negotiations held between the two parties last week the distribution of ministries was also on the agenda and an agreement was made in this regard. Both the CTP and UBP will reportedly have five ministries each.
Meanwhile, the leading left-wing CTP and the leading right-wing UBP, reconciled on forming a coalition government. With this reconciliation the CTP and UBP will be present in the same government for the first time in the political history of the Turkish Cyprus. Within the scope of the agreed general principle, all the ministries that are currently bound to the DP will be assigned to the UBP while affiliated institutions and realms of authorities will be redefined. The authority regarding sports affairs will serve as part of a ministry attached to the CTP. According to the negotiated formulas, the Ministries of the Interior, Labor and Social Security, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Health and Agriculture will be appointed to the CTP-BG, while the Ministries of Education, Public Works and Communications, Environment and Natural Resources and Tourism and Culture will be assigned to the UBP.
Speaking to Daily Sabah, UBP Chairman Hüseyin Özgürgün said: "This is a first in the history of Turkish Cyprus. As a leading right-wing party, we will form a government with the CTP-BP. It was agreed upon by 95 percent. We must form the government before the religious holiday. The two parties are starting the work to form a new government in order to resolve the trouble the country is in. I will not be the deputy prime minister. A friend from my party will perform this duty." At parliament, the CTP-BG is represented with 21 deputies, the UBP is represented with 18, the DP-UG with eight and the TDP with three.
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