The results of the April 2009 elections and the return to power for Derviş Eroğlu and his National Unity Party – UBP brought for the first time to power a left wing President, Mehmet Ali Talat, and a conservative majority in the legislative. More important, with presidential elections expected one year later, Talat could feel his position already shaken; Indeed, in April 2010, he lost to Derviş Eroğlu in the first round of the election. UBP took hold of both top offices, the presidency and the government, with a fragile majority in the parliament (26 out of 50 seats). It could govern without the need to seek a coalition for five years, unless a split occurred. This pattern, splits and dissensions, which has marked Turkish Cypriot politics since the UDI in November 1983, was repeated in May 2013, with eight UBP deputies leaving the party. Early elections were held on 28 July 2013.
TO BE continued…