The main candidates for the presidential elections reacted to the result of the voting, where turnout was low, a feature ascribed to the pandemic. The turnout rate of 58.29 percent was recorded as the lowest rate for the Turkish Cypriot people in the history of presidential elections in the TRNC.
UBP Candidate Ersin Tatar, who made it to the second round having received 32.35 percent of the votes, stated that a test of democracy was made on Sunday. He thanked his supporters saying the following:
“Thank you to citizens who voted or not for participating in the election. We are in the times of a pandemic that has destroyed economies, that has shaken the world. The low turnout due to coronavirus has saddened us, we were expecting a higher turnout. Maybe some of our citizens decided not to go to the ballot box. We expect more citizens to go to the polls this week [for the second round].
“The UBP achieved a victory with 33%. I sincerely thank all our teammates. We, as the UBP party, the founder of the TRNC, have undertaken all kinds of our activities in the TRNC until now. Good investment with the contribution of the Republic of Turkey has brought us to this point, we are in the race to speed towards the future.. Our people will be convinced of what we say and take us to the Palace.
“Mr. President is telling us something from there, as if he had won the victory himself. Victory is ours. He does not want to see that the will of our people is reflected at the ballot box.
“I will go to that Palace as your representative, who climbed here step by step among you. Here is our answer to those who cannot digest this, be respectful to the will of the Turkish Cypriot people.”
Yeniduzen also reported that Independent Presidential candidate Mustafa Akıncı, who gained 29.85 percent of the votes and also made it to the second round, pointed out that there had been “interventions” that had not been seen in an election until today, but he said that he had managed to reflect the will of the people to the ballot box.
Stating that political parties will make their own evaluations after the election results, Akıncı said he had pursued a clean campaign and had not attacked any of the other candidates, “Let them sit down, make their own evaluations, produce according to them in the party assemblies, I did not speak against a single candidate in the first round,” he said.
“The people have the ability to decide who to choose,” said Akıncı. Addressing Tatar’s comments, he said “You do not yet have the authority to say ‘I will be your president’. I feel sorry for those who accept this and take it. “
Referring to the second round of voting on 18 October, Akıncı said, “I appeal to all our citizens again, I appeal to their conscience. Let them also think and go to the ballot box next Sunday and listen to their inner voices and the voices of their conscience.”
Kibris Postasi reports that leader of the CTP Tufan Erhürman, who got 21.68 percent of the votes, appeared before the press on Sunday, accompanied by applause.
After the election results gradually became clearer, Erhürman made his first statement saying, “We will not allow the people to be divided and fragmented during this time”.
Erhürman noted that the party assembly will probably gather this week and evaluate the election results.
In summary, Erhürman’s statement is as follows: “The result of the election has been more or less determined, the two candidates who made the second round have been determined. The Turkish Cypriot people put forward their will. We respect it. The CTP is aware that the next five years will be challenging. There are problems internally and externally. During this time, we will not allow the people to be divided. The CTP is a 50-year-old institutional party with CTP institutions, probably after tomorrow [Monday], our party assembly will convene and evaluate the outcome of the election. Congratulations to the winners of this evening. CTP, will not allow the people to be hindered, divided and fragmented. “
Kibris Postasi also reported that yesterday evening, Independent Presidential candidate Kudret Özersay, noting that he had received fewer votes than he expected, said “this is at a level that requires me to review my political life.”
Özersay who received 5.74 percent of the votes, wrote the following in his social media account:
“According to the preliminary results in the presidential election, the rate of votes I received is far below my expectation and it is at a level that requires me to review my political life. But when I look at this picture, my main sadness is about the future of my country ...
“Obviously, the politics of polarization and tension have been successful. So the expectations of our people are different, I respect them, good luck to my country. In this process, I sincerely thank all my companions and supporters who stood by my side by making serious sacrifices of their family and work.
“In the coming days, I will make a more comprehensive assessment and share my opinion and decision about the future with the public.“
Yeniduzen, Kibris Postasi
