A celebratory mood has taken hold at the headquarters of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), as official results in the first round of the Turkish Cypriot leadership elections show their candidate, Tufan Erhürman, winning by a wide margin over incumbent Ersin Tatar.
In a statement regarding the results, head of the 'Supreme Electoral Council', Bertan Özerdağ, confirmed that Erhürman led with 62.82% of the vote, securing a historic victory. According to the official figures, Erhürman received 82,521 votes, while Tatar -backed by the National Unity Party (UBP) and a proponent of a two-state solution, received 46,915 votes, amounting to 35.72%.
Supporters have begun to gather outside the CTP party offices, exchanging embraces and enthusiastic handshakes, as they await further updates. The atmosphere has become increasingly festive, with the number of Erhürman’s supporters steadily growing.
According to Politis correspondent Yiota Hadjikosta, supporters have already begun celebrating, buoyed by the wide margin between Erhürman and his main rival, Ersin Tatar.
A tight contest is reportedly unfolding in the Trikomo (İskele) district, while the Famagusta region remains highly competitive, with no clear winner as of yet.
As counting continues, anticipation is building among party members, who remain hopeful that Erhürman will maintain his lead as more results are released.
The mood at Tatar's party office has been described as low.