Turkish Cypriot parties set to form new coalition govt

Two Turkish Cypriot political parties on Friday announced they are set to form a new coalition government, in the wake of the last government’s collapse this month.

National Unity Party (UBP) Chairman Huseyin Ozgurgun said he had signed a protocol on forming a new coalition with Serdar Denktas, chair of the Democratic Party-National Forces (DP-UG).

The planned coalition government protocol will be submitted tomorrow to President Mustafa Akinci, and right after the two parties will form a new government, said Ozgurgun, who was authorized to form a new government on April 11.

“The new government will continue to work with our president, all political parties, and all sectors of society in harmony. I believe that we will be successful,” said the UBP chairman.

Ozgurgun is expected to submit a Cabinet list to President Akinci on April 16.

As the UBP has 18 seats in the 50-seat Turkish Cypriot parliament, and the Democratic Party-National Forces (DP-UG) has five, the coalition would be a 23-seat minority government dependent on support from the assembly’s four independent deputies to pass legislation.

Serdar Denktas, the prospective junior coalition partner leader, is the son of Rauf Denktas, the late first president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The UBP, the last junior partner in the broad-based coalition with the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG), withdrew from the government on April 2. Akinci gave a mandate to form a new government after returning from foreign visits.

Amid the change in government, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is in talks with the Greek Cypriot administration over a possible reunification agreement this year.

In July 2015 the 18-seat UBP formed a coalition government with the CTP-BG, which has 20 seats in parliament.

Rounding out the assembly are prospective junior coalition partner the DP-UG’s five deputies, the Communal Democracy Party (TDP) three, and four independent deputies.