THE NEW CABINET
Ministers of the new four-party coalition — formed by the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), People’s Party (HP), Democrat Party (DP) and Social Democratic Party (TDP) – took over the reins of government yesterday. Here is the new Cabinet.
Prime Minister Tufan Erhürman
Born in Lefkoşa in 1970, he graduated from the Faculty of Law at Ankara University and was a member of commissions set up by Turkey’s Justice Ministry to draft the Bill setting up that country’s Ombudsman institution. He completed his PhD in 2001. He was on the presidential negotiating team during 2008 and 2010 and became an MP in 2013, also becoming an associate professor the following year. He became CTP leader in 2015.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay
in 1973, he graduated from the Faculty of Political Science at Ankara University, later earning a master’s degree and PhD. He was part of the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team under all TRNC presidents, going on to run unsuccessfully for the Presidency in 2015 as an independent candidate.
Finance Minister Serdar Denktaş
Born in Lefkoşa in 1959, he studied in Germany and the UK. He began his active political career in 1990, going on to variously head the Interior; Youth, Sport and Environment; Tourism and Culture; Economy and Finance ministries as well as the Deputy Prime Ministry. He has worked with four presidents and seven prime ministers.
National Education and Culture Minister Cemal Gürsel Özyiğit
Born in Dağyolu in 1960, he qualified as a teacher and worked in various state schools, also taking a master’s degree in education administration. After joining TDP he headed the party’s Lefkoşa district, becoming its general secretary between February 2012 and November 2013, when he was elected party leader at an extraordinary congress.
Interior Minister Ayşegül Baybars Kadri
Born in Gazimağusa in 1981, she graduated from the Faculty of Law of Marmara University and completed her master’s degree there. She has worked as a lawyer since returning to the TRNC in 2005.
Economy and Energy Minister Özdil Nami
Born in London in 1967, he graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences of Boğaziçi University and completed his master’s degree in the Finance Faculty of the University of California, Berkeley. Between 1997 and 2000 he was political adviser to the Presidency, being elected in Parliament in 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2013. He served as foreign minister after September 2013 and was Turkish Cypriot negotiator under two presidents.
Health Minister Filiz Besim
Born in Aydın, Paphos in 1965, she graduated in dentistry from Ankara University, going on to complete further specialisation courses there and set up her own clinic in Lefkoşa. She was head of the Cyprus Turkish Medical Association from 2013 to 2016 and its general secretary from 2000 to 2004, as well as president of the Cyprus Turkish Dental Chamber and North Cyprus representative to the Balkan Dental Union — both from 2004 to 2006. A mother of one, she also headed the North Cyprus Golf Federation from 2006 to 2008. She stood unsuccessfully as a CTP candidate in last month’s election.
Agriculture and Natural Resources Minister Erkut Şahali
Born in Limassol in 1973, he graduated from the Faculty of Communications of Istanbul’s Marmara University. He completed his master’s degree at Manchester University. Elected an MP in 2013, he was Agriculture, Natural Resources and Food Minister between 2015 and 2016. He is organisation secretary of his party’s central executive board.
Transport and Public Works Minister Tolga Atakan
Born in Ankara in 1974, he graduated from the Faculty of Economics of Ankara’s Bilkent University and then continued his master’s degree studies at Lefkoşa’s Near East University. Since then, he has been running his family business.
Tourism and Environment Minister Fikri Ataoğlu
Born in Avtepe in 1964, he studied business. He was elected to Parliament in 2013 and was appointed Tourism and Environment Minister in 2016.
Labour and Social Security Minister Zeki Çeler
Born in Girne in 1981, he studied political science and public administration at the Faculty of Business in Gazimağusa’s Eastern Mediterranean University. He has headed TDP’s Girne district since 2011 and has been an MP since he was elected in 2013.