Snap election is an option — UBP leader
A SNAP general election is “an option”, interim National Unity Party (UBP) leader Hamza Ersan Saner said on Thursday, if his efforts to form a new government fail.
The TRNC has been without a government since the People’s Party (HP) withdrew from its coalition with UBP in protest at the decision by Ersin Tatar – then the prime minister – to reopen part of the fenced-off town of Maraş in early October without the HP’s prior knowledge.
The country has had no PM since Mr Tatar became president on October 18.
Mr Saner, who was formally asked by President Tatar to form a government last Saturday after being appointed as the UBP’s caretaker leader, held meetings with the leaders of other parties represented in Parliament this week.
A coalition between the UBP, the biggest party in Parliament with 20 of the 50 seats available, and the second-largest party, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), which has 12 MPs, was ruled out by CTP leader Tufan Erhürman on Monday.
“Everyone knew the different views between the UBP and the CTP regarding a federal solution in Cyprus,” Dr Erhürman said following his meeting with Mr Saner.
“Therefore we do not think it is appropriate to enter into a coalition with the UBP.”
HP leader Yenal Senin, the third-biggest
party with nine MPs, said on Tuesday that he would not renew its “two-party” coalition with the UBP and instead called for “broadbased model of government” that would “embrace” the public.
Cemal Özyiğit, leader of the Social Democracy Party ( TDP), which has three MPs, also spurned Mr Saner’s approaches.
He said he only agreed to meet Mr Saner out of “Cypriot hospitality”.
“It is important for the budget for the Government to be formed immediately,” Mr Özyiğit said.
“We have made our position clear. We will not be party to the interventions and will not take our place in the government.”
Mr Saner’s meeting with Democract Party (DP) leader Fikri Ataoğlu ended on a “positive” tone, Saner said. The DP won three seats at the last general election although one of the MPs, former leader Serdar Denktaş, announced last month that he had quit the party.
“We have previously worked together and know each other very well,” Mr Saner said after his discussions with Mr Ataoğlu.
“We will do everything we can not to leave the country without a government during this period.”
Mr Ataoğlu called for the UBP to “sort its own internal problems first” in reference to reports of a split in the UBP after Faiz Sucuoğlu and Hasan Taçoy agreed to pull out of the second round of a leadership race last week.
A UBP statement said at the time that the decision had been “mutually agreed” to protect the “integrity” of the party amid speculation of an “external” intervention.
Mr Saner said on Tuesday that he had the support of “18 UBP MPs” to become the party’s permanent leader at next month’s rearranged annual general meeting.
Erhan Arıklı, the head of the two-MP Rebirth Party (YDP), said he would only enter into a coalition with the UBP and other parties – such as the DP – following a fresh general election.
The UBP’s efforts to form a new coalition have been hampered by the fact that Mr Tatar’s seat is now vacant and that former leader Hüseyin Özgürgün has been self-exile since last year.
Parliament voted to lift Mr Özgürgün’s immunity against prosecution, meaning the UBP effectively has just 19 MPs, although there have been rumours that Mr Özgürgün could return to the TRNC.
Any government needs at least 26 MPs to form a majority. A UBP-DP-YDP coalition with the support of Mr Denktaş would only provide 25 MPs, assuming Mr Özgürgün returns from abroad.
Protocol dictates that if Mr Saner cannot form a government then the baton will pass to the leader of the second-biggest party – Dr Erhürman – as happened in 2018 when a four-party coalition between the CTP, HP, TDP and DP was established.
If Dr Erhürman is unsuccessful then Parliament will be dissolved and a general election called.