NICOSIA, 22 February 2005 — Turkish-Cypriot Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat looked set to form a new coalition government yesterday after his pro-reunification party failed to win an outright majority in an election despite winning more seats.
Official results showed Talat’s Republican Turkish Party, which supports the reunification of Cyprus and membership of the European Union, won 24 seats in Sunday’s general election, up from 18 in the last Parliament.
But it just failed to win an outright majority in the 50-seat assembly of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, paving the way for a new coalition government.
“People have basically voted for a continuation of the negotiations (with the Greek Cypriots) but under the protection of Turkey,” said Turkish Cypriot political analyst Mete Hatay, who noted parties both for and against reunification with the Greek Cypriot south of the island were well represented.
The ballot, just over a year after the last general elections, was called after resignations in Talat’s party and its coalition partner, the Democrat Party, erased their thin majority.
