Turkey supported Tatar against Akinci in a run-off presidential election in separated northern Cyprus

Right-wing nationalist Ersin Tatar, supported by Ankara, won in a run-off presidential election Sunday in separated northern Cyprus, which removing pro-reunification current Mustafa Akinci.

In fact, official results showed that Tatar, who demands a two-state solution on the separated island, got 51.74 percent towards Akinci, who had been expected to win a second term.

It should be noted that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which declared that itself, was founded after that the north was occupied by Turkey in 1974 in reply to a coup that pointed to annex Cyprus to Greece. Despite that the separate state is just recognized by Turkey, its elected president is considered internationally as the Turkish Cypriot leader.

Voters were 67.3 percent and the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the results, he had publicly supported Tatar against Akinci. He also wrote on Twitter: I congratulate Ersin Tatar who has been elected president… Turkey will continue to provide all types of efforts to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Furthermore, Tatar in a first round on October 11 got 32 percent of the vote ahead of Akinci, who got only under 30 percent in a field of 11 candidates.

Akinci, who backs a reunification with the Republic of Cyprus, which is an EU state, had been directed to occupy a second term, after having won the backing of Tufan Erhurman, a fellow social democrat.

Before days of the first round vote, Erdogan and Tatar at a gathering in Ankara declared the controversial reopening of the fenced-off ghost town Varosha for the first time since Turkish forces attacked the north.