Nicosia, Cyprus. Former Turkish Cypriot ‘health minister’ Izlem Gurcag Altugra has left the UBP and said she intends to join the centrist, anti-corruption HP led by former Turkish Cypriot chief negotiator Kudret Ozersay. She said she will remain in the Turkish Cypriot legislature as an independent until the next election.
Resignation from UBP and criticism of party direction
Altugra announced her decision at a press conference, saying she had long questioned whether the UBP still held hope regarding its own values. She said she believed the party had seriously distanced itself from its founding values and the understanding of the state, adding that “the ground for clean and honest politics had completely disappeared.”
She said there was no longer any hope of the party recovering and that she was leaving the UBP, of which she had been a member for many years.
Status in the legislature and plans to align with HP
Altugra remains a member of the Turkish Cypriot legislature, where members are not allowed to join existing political parties while retaining their seats. She said she will sit as an independent until the next election, which is due to take place at some point before next February.
She said she would continue her duties as an independent MP until the election and that during the election campaign she would continue her political journey with the HP. She added that the necessary discussions had been held to facilitate her joining the party.
Reference to recent political tensions and public trust
Altugra said the recent series of events had seriously shaken the state’s administration, in a likely reference to the ruling coalition’s attempted changes to the payment of the cost-of-living allowance to public sector workers, which drew thousands of demonstrators outside and inside the legislature.
She said distrust had been created within society and that the greatest responsibility for the situation lay with the UBP. She said the party had lost its credibility in society and had become an organisation that disregards the public’s sensitivities. She added that she entered politics not for a seat or office but to speak the truth as she sees it.
Impact on ruling coalition numbers
Altugra’s departure from the UBP means the ruling coalition’s majority in the Turkish Cypriot legislature has fallen to eight. The coalition now commands the support of 23 representatives of the UBP, two each from the DP and the YDP, and one independent in the 49-seat chamber.
The article said Altugra has not caucused with the coalition for some time.
Previous calls for leadership change
After Ersin Tatar, the candidate endorsed by the UBP at last year’s Turkish Cypriot leadership election, lost the election, Altugra began to openly call for ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel to resign. She also said that if Ustel offered her a place in his cabinet after dismissing her in 2024, she would refuse the offer.
What do you think Altugra’s departure from the UBP could mean for the party and the ruling coalition ahead of the next election?
