2010 Northern Cypriot presidential election

A presidential election was held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Cyprus dispute) on 18 April 2010. If no candidate had gained more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a run-off round would have been held on 25 April 2010.

Background

The two main candidates were the current President Mehmet Ali Talat which was independent and the incumbent Prime Minister Derviş Eroğlu from the National Unity Party (Ulusal Birlik Partisi, UBP). The parliamentary election the previous year had been narrowly won by the UBP.

Talat supported the negotiations for a new plan to reunify the island (and had also been in favour of the Annan Plan for Cyprus) whereas his opponent supports a "two-state solution".

The other five candidates (all of them independent) were:

• Mustafa Kemal Tümkan
• Arif Salih Kırdağ
• Zeki Beşiktepeli
• Ayhan Kaymak
• Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu

Election

Turnout was 70%. The count on election night proceeded as follows:

• 20% of the vote counted: Eroğlu at 48.9%, Talat at 43.7%
• 32% of the vote counted: Eroğlu at 48.9%, Talat at 43.3%
• 40% of the vote counted: Eroğlu at 49.2%, Talat at 43.3%
• 48% of the vote counted: Eroğlu at 49.6%, Talat at 43.1%
• 60% of the vote counted: Eroğlu at 49.7%, Talat at 43.0%
• 96% of the vote counted: Eroğlu at 50.3%, Talat at 42.8%

Results

According to final results, Derviş Eroğlu got over 50% of the votes in the first round, meaning a runoff was not necessary. Template:Northern Cyprus presidential election, 2010

Aftermath

Derviş Eroğlu of the right-wing National Unity Party (UBP) said that he wanted to continue negotiation on reunification of Cyprus: "My dream for a solution to the Cyprus problem continues. We will be at the negotiating table for an agreement that will continue the existence of our people in this land with honour."