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Last reviewed: 20 August 2009

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POLITICS

Recent political developments

Politics on both sides of the island are dominated by the continued division of Cyprus. There have been several initiatives since 1974 to try to achieve a settlement of the Cyprus problem. All of these for one reason or another have run into the sand. Most recently, on 24 April 2004, the UN Secretary General’s Comprehensive Settlement Proposals, known as the “Annan Plan”, failed when put to separate and simultaneous referenda on both sides of the island. In the referenda, 65% of the Turkish Cypriots voted in favour of the plan and the Greek Cypriots rejected it by a 3 to 1 majority (76%).

Unfortunately, all efforts subsequent to the failure of the Annan Plan proved unproductive until the Cypriot Presidential elections in February 2008. Since then, Republic of Cyprus President Christofias and leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Mr Talat have met regularly. Fully fledged negoatiations started on 3 September 2008. The British Government continues to strongly support all efforts to achieve a comprehensive solution to the division of Cyprus.

Efforts to achieve a comprehensive solution since the Anna Plan

24 April 2004 - Referendums held on both sides of the island. The referendum in the Turkish Cypriot community is carried by a large majority (65% voted yes); in the Greek Cypriot community the settlement proposals are opposed by a large majority (76% voted no). Accordingly the Annan Plan – which was designed to be self-executing in time for a reunited island to enter the EU on 1 May – is null and void. (The UK’s offer of territory from the Sovereign Base Areas, which was part of the Plan, is also null and void.)

26 April 2004 - the EU’s General Affairs and External Relations Council expresses its strong regret that the accession to the EU of a united Cyprus would not now be possible on 1 May, and its determination to ensure the people of Cyprus will soon achieve their shared destiny as citizens of a united Cyprus in the EU. The Council also expresses determination to put an end to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community and to encourage their economic development in order to facilitate the reunification of Cyprus.

1 May 2004 – Cyprus joins the EU as a divided island. The EU acquis (EU body of law) is suspended in the northern part of Cyprus.

July 2004 - The Commission presents 2 draft regulations to help end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots: an Aid Regulation to give 259 million Euros of aid to the northern part of Cyprus and a Direct Trade Regulation.

17 December 2004 – The European Council agrees to begin accession negotiations with Turkey on 3 October 2005. It is expected that the process of EU accession for Turkey will help to facilitate the renewal of settlement negotiations on Cyprus.

3 October 2005 - The EU formally opens accession negotiations with Turkey. Progress towards a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus will be an important factor in Turkey's accession negotiations.

24-26 January 2006 – The Foreign Secretary visits Cyprus and meets Foreign Minister Iacovou and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Mehmet Ali Talat before travelling on to Turkey and Greece for further talks.

27 February 2006 – EU approves an aid regulation, allocating €259 million of financial aid for the northern part of Cyprus.

8 July 2006 – UN Under Secretary General Gambari reaches agreement with the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to begin talks on day-to-day issues, substantive settlement issues and confidence building measures. These talks are intended to lead towards a resumption of full settlement negotiations, but disagreements on the procedure to be followed continue to prevent the process from starting.

15 November 2006 – Gambari agrees process with leaders of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to implement 8 July agreement.

11 December 2006 – EU Foreign Ministers reach decision to suspend the opening of 8 chapters of Turkey’s EU Accession negotiations, following Turkey’s failure to fulfil its obligations under the Ankara Agreement Protocol to open its ports to Republic of Cyprus shipping.

15 June 2007 – The UN Security Council notes with concern the lack of progress on 'the 8 July process'. In a unanimously adopted resolution (extending the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus), the Council calls upon all parties to immediately engage constructively with the United Nations efforts and demonstrate measurable progress in order to allow fully fledged negotiations to begin, and to cease mutual recriminations. They reaffirm that the status quo is unacceptable, that time is not on the side of a settlement, and that negotiations on a final political solution to the Cyprus problem have been at an impasse for too long.

24 February 2008 – President Christofias elected President of Cyprus on a mandate to solve the Cyprus problem.

21 March 2008 – President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Talat meet under UN auspices and agree to launch a new settlement process. They agree that fully-fledged negotiations should start within three months, and that these negotiations would be preceded by a preparatory period in which technical committees and working groups, comprised of Cypriots from both communities, would look at the range of issues concerned with the re-unification of Cyprus. Both leaders also agree to open the Ledra Street crossing as a confidence building measure.

03 April 2008 – Ledra Street crossing of the ‘Green Line’ re-opened. The crossing had been closed for the preceding 44 years.

23 May 2008 – The leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities meet again and re-affirm their commitment to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality.

20 June 2008 – The leaders of the two communities announce a further six confidence building measures as a result of the work of the technical committees. These measures include environmental, health, waste-management and cultural heritage projects.

25 July 2008 – The leaders of the two communities meet and announce that full direct settlement negotiations will start on 3 September. They also announce 16 confidence-building measures on matters ranging from the environment, cultural heritage, crisis management and crime.

3 September 2008 – The leaders commence fully-fledged negotiations

26 June 2009  – The leaders of the two communities announce their agreement to open the Limnitis crossing point

6 August 2009 – The first round of negotiations completed.




Elections

Presidential

The President is both the Head of State and leader of the Government. He appoints the Council of Ministers, the cabinet of the Republic of Cyprus.

The President is elected by popular vote for a 5-year term. If no one candidate receives over 50% of the vote in the first round of voting, the 2 candidates with the greatest number of votes go through to a second head-to-head round.

On 17 February 2008 the first round of Presidential elections saw candidates Demetris Christofias and Ioannis Kasoulides gain a small margin of votes over incumbent Tassos Papadopoulos. Demetris Christofias secured the majority vote in the second round. Demetris Christofias was inaugurated on 28 February 2008.
The next Presidential elections will be held in February 2013. 



Parliamentary

The most recent parliamentary elections took place on 21 May 2006. The Restorative Party of the Working People (AKEL) and Democratic Rally (DESY) won the most seats with 18 seats each. The Democratic Party (DIKO) won 11. The remaining 9 seats were shared amongst 4 other parties.

The current President of the House of Representatives, who is elected by a majority of MPs, is Marios Garoyian. He succeeded Demetris Christofias following his election as President.

The constitution states that the House of Representatives has 80 seats representing 6 multi-seat constituencies, but only 56 of these are currently filled. The remaining seats are reserved for Turkish Cypriot MPs.

The next parliamentary elections are to be held in 2011.

Northern Cyprus

Because of the continued division of the island, Turkish Cypriots resident in the 'TRNC' do not vote in the elections of the Republic of Cyprus. However, democratic elections do take place in the 'TRNC' for the Turkish Cypriot 'authorities'. Mehmet Ali Talat won the last "Presidential" elections on 17 April 2005, with 55.6% of the votes cast and the next "Presidential elections" will take place in April 2010. The last general elections for the "Parliamentary Assembly" took place on April 19th 2009. The National Unity Party (UBP) gained 44% of the votes giving them a majority of 26 seats. The current "prime minister" is Dr Dervish Eroglu. There are 5 political parties in the 50 seat "parliamentary assembly". They are the ruling UBP party (26 seats), opposition parties Republican Turkish party CTP (15 seats), the Democrat party DP (5 seats), Communal Democracy party TDP (2 seats) and the Freedom and Reform party ORP (2 seats).

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