Nicosia, Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot leader Unal Ustel on Monday challenged opposition parties to accept his proposal for local and legislative elections to be held on the same day in December. He said local elections are legally required to take place in December and that December 6 appears the most likely date.
Challenge to opposition
Speaking in the Turkish Cypriot legislature, Ustel urged opposition parties to agree to holding both votes simultaneously in December.
He said, “Since you are all so gutsy, come on, then! Let’s have two elections at the same time! Come on!”
Proposed election timing
Ustel said the law requires local elections to be held in December. He added that, following meetings with Turkish Cypriot supreme election council chairman Bertan Ozerdag, the first Sunday of the month, December 6, appears to be the most likely date for the local elections.
Electoral law revisions
His remarks came as the legislature discussed revisions proposed by his ruling coalition to the north’s electoral law. Ustel said the only changes being proposed were those requested by Ozerdag.
“Apart from that, we have not added a single word,” he said.
Opposition calls for early elections
Opposition figures have for some time been calling for early legislative elections, particularly after Ersin Tatar, the ruling coalition’s endorsed candidate in last October’s Turkish Cypriot leadership election, was defeated by opposition candidate Tufan Erhurman, while the opposition CTP has been leading in opinion polls.
Position on legislative elections
Ustel said “the debate about early elections has ended” and that the next legislative election will take place either in January, at the latest possible time it can be held, or in December alongside the local elections.
The most recent Turkish Cypriot legislative elections were held on January 23, 2022. The four-and-a-half years since then is the longest period between Turkish Cypriot legislative elections since elections were held more than five years apart in December 1998 and December 2003.
Response to criticism
Ustel said his party, the UBP, and the ruling coalition it leads are not avoiding an election.
“Neither the UBP, nor the DP, nor the YDP have ever avoided elections. The government will continue to explain its achievements to the public,” he said.
He added that he plans to announce the signing of a deal to construct a natural gas pipeline from Turkey to Cyprus.
