The coalition government of the left wing Turkish Republican Party New Forces (Cumhuriyetçi Türk Partisi Birleşik Güçler) – CTPBG and the conservative Democratic Party – DP, formed after the elections of December 2003, collapsed only one year later, which led to early elections. The momentum gained by left wing parties in late 2003 was rather weak, as prospects for finding a solution to the Cyprus Problem appeared to have evaporated. One week after 76% of the Greek Cypriots rejected the United Nations proposed plan for the settlement of the Cyprus Problem, the Republic of Cyprus joined the European Union. Their negative vote led to Turkish Cypriots not entering the Union, despite their favourable vote for the Plan, at a rate of 64.96%, while the Cyprus Problem remained unsolved.
With a slim majority of 26-24 in parliament, the future of the coalition was in doubt from the very beginning, while developments in February 2004 indicated that the new power holders had to conduct a referendum on the Annan Plan before May 2004; CTP was a staunch supporter of the Plan, while the DP was rather neutral. Meanwhile, Rauf Denktaş the community’s leader, father of DP’s chairperson, was strongly opposing it, arguing it would harm Turkish Cypriots’ rights. The Greek Cypriot negative vote and failure of the United Nations and the international community’s efforts to unite the island caused disappointment to the Turkish Cypriots, which grew larger because they considered that their positive vote did not receive the acknowledgement expected; this could have been gestures of some kind of recognition of their institutions.
The majority in parliament was soon lost with the defection of one CTP and two DP deputies but the government did not lose a vote of confidence. However, the rejection of the 2005 budget made it imperative to hold elections on 20 February 2005. Beyond the Republican Turkish Party United Forces (Cumhuriyetçi Türk Partisi Birleşik Güçler) – CTPBG and the Democratic Party (Demokrat Partisi) – DP, the contestants of the elections were the National Unity Party (Ulusal Birlik Partisi) – UBP, the Peace and Democracy Movement (Barış ve Demokrasi Hareketi) – BDH, the Nationalist Justice Party (Milliyetçi Adalet Partisi) – MAP and two new formations:
The (old) Toplumcu Kurtuluş Partisi (Communal Liberation Party) – TKP, led by Hüseyin Angolemli, joined forces with the Birleşik Kıbrıs Partisi Sol Güçler Ittifakı (United Cyprus Party Alliance of Leftist Forces) – BKPSGI, of İzzet İzcan, and Yeni Parti (New Party) – YP with Nuri Çevikel contested the elections.
Following the adhesion of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union and the failure of a settlement, the climate among Turkish Cypriots was not joyful. In the absence of big issues, scandals involving political figures dominated the campaign. Turnout to the polls was lower by five points (80.8% against 86% in 2003), with CTP-BG gaining almost ten points compared to its previous score. At first glance, one might thing that the forces in favour of a solution and reunification made progress in popular vote. However, losses for the conservative camp of UBP and DP were insignificant, with the former slipping by 1.2 points and the latter gaining 0.6 points. The big loser was Mustafa Akıncı’s BDH, with a share of 5.8% against 13.2% in 2003, and only one seat against six.
The highest score and absolute majority for CTPBG (50.11%) was in native Turkish Cypriot communities, i.e. those inhabited by Turkish Cypriots before and after 1974, and its lowest in exclusively settlers communities (23.25%), which is the only group where UBP and DP were on top (40.94% and 25.95% respectively). The New party, formed by settlers, secured 4.90% in the aforementioned communities, against an overall score of 1.61%.
The allocation of seats, with CTP-BG having 24 out of 50 deputies and BDH only one left no other choice for Mehmet Ali Talat than form a coalition government with the DP, again.