Mustafa Akinci Wins Presidential Election in Northern Cyprus

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Independent candidate Mustafa Akinci won the second round of presidential election in northern Cyprus on Sunday with over 60 percent of the vote, Daily Sabah newspaper reported citing election commission of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Leftist moderate Akinci beat incumbent President Dervis Eroglu, a conservative candidate who took office in 2010.

During the first round of elections held on April 20, Akinci was supported by leftist Communal Democracy Party (TDP) and United Cyprus Party (BKP), but gained only about 27 percent of the vote. None of the seven presidential candidates managed to secure 50 percent of the vote to win the elections in the first tour.

The election comes ahead of possible resumption of peace talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, which stalled in October 2014. A UN envoy for Cyprus expressed hope in early April that the talks would start within weeks.

Mustafa Akinci vows to seek a peace deal on Cyprus, which was split in 1974 following the Turkish invasion.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus unilaterally proclaimed its independence in the 1980s, and is currently only recognized by Turkey.