Roundup: Moderate Turkish Cypriot politician looks set to win runoff for community leadership

A moderate Turkish Cypriot politician appears set to win a runoff vote to elect a community leader, raising hopes for a breakthrough in the stalled negotiations for a Cyprus settlement, Turkish Cypriot politicians said on Tuesday.

Mustafa Akinci was in second place with 26.92 percent of the vote in a first round election on Sunday, just behind incumbent Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, who scored 28.12 percent.

But Akinci's chances were boosted after he received official backing from the Republican Turkish Party at a Monday night party caucus. The party's candidate polled 22.49 percent of the vote.

The vote share of Akinci and of the Republican Turkish Party in the first round vote give him a nearly 49.5 percent advantage in the runoff on April 26, short of only about one-half percentage point to cross the 50 percent margin he needs to be elected.

Ergoglu cannot count on the support by other voters except those of his own right-wing National Unity Party, as a sizable share of right-wings votes went to first-timer Kudret Ozersay, who polled an amazing 21.25 percent.

Ozersay told a press conference on Tuesday that he will not direct his voters on how to vote in the runoff, saying that they are free to elect any of the two candidates they like.

But analysts said that Ozersay would like to see 85-year old Eroglu defeated and out of politics, as this would open his own prospects to establish a new right-wing party on the strength of his share in the elections.

Ozersay strongly hinted at setting up a party of his own, saying he will not enter a monastery, as he intends to fight more elections in the future.

An electoral win by Akinci would breathe new life into the negotiations which are expected to resume sometime in May after a suspension of about six months.

A former mayor of the Turkish Cypriot part of Nicosia, Akinci maintains good relations with the Greek Cypriot community and has repeatedly said during his electoral campaign that he would like a quick compromise solution reunifying Cyprus.

He also said he considers the current division of the eastern Mediterranean island unwarranted and unsustainable.

Cyprus was divided into Greek and Turkish Cypriot parts by a Turkish military action in 1974 just a week after Greek army officers staged a coup to overthrow then President Makarios.

The United Nations is expected to soon announce the resumption of the negotiations, which were suspended by the Greek Cypriot side in October 2014, after Turkey sent warships and a seismographic ship to explore for natural gas in areas claimed by Cyprus under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The prospect of Akinci becoming the new leader of the Turkish Cypriot community has raised hopes among both Greek and Turkish Cypriots for a quick breakthrough.

Turkish Cypriot politician Izet Izdzan, the leader of the "United Cyprus" party said on Tuesday that by giving a strong backing to Akinci the community has shown a strong will for a solution to the Cyprus problem and will not back down.

"Turkish Cypriots want to decide for their future themselves from now on. They want better living conditions and a Cyprus solution. A new era will start as of April 26," said Izdzan. Endit