President of Northern Cyprus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Presidential Standard
Presidential Seal
Incumbent Ersin Tatar since 23 October 2020
Style	Mr. President (informal) The Honourable (formal) His Excellency (formal, diplomatic)
Residence	Presidential palace North Nicosia
Term length	5 years
Inaugural holder	Rauf Denktaş
Formation	15 November 1983
Salary	₺45,000 annually (2021)

The President of Northern Cyprus is the head of state for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This means they are the top leader of the country.

Rauf Denktaş was the very first president of Northern Cyprus. He started in 1975 and retired in 2005. After him, Mehmet Ali Talat, Derviş Eroğlu, and Mustafa Akıncı held the position. The current president is Ersin Tatar.

What Does the President Do?

The President of Northern Cyprus has important jobs. Their role is not just for show; they have real power. This is part of a "semi-presidential" system, where both the president and the prime minister share power.

President's Main Responsibilities

The president has several key duties. They are responsible for how Northern Cyprus deals with other countries. They also lead talks to solve the Cyprus dispute, which is a long-standing issue about the island.

The president can also lead meetings of the Council of Ministers, which is like the country's cabinet. They approve new judges and the head of the Supreme Court. If the Assembly of the Republic (the parliament) passes a law, the president can send it to the Supreme Court to check if it's fair.

When Can the President Act?

The president can step in if the government is having trouble. For example, if a new government cannot be formed within 60 days, or if three governments in a row lose the support of the parliament, the president can ask the parliament to hold new elections.

If the president is away from the country, the speaker of the Assembly of the Republic takes their place.

How is the President Chosen?

The president is elected by the people of Northern Cyprus every five years. This is done through a special election.

Presidential Election Process

To win the election in the first round, a candidate needs to get more than half (50%) of all the votes. If no one gets enough votes in the first round, the two candidates with the most votes go into a second round. The person who gets the most votes in the second round becomes president.

Who Can Become President?

There are a few rules for who can be president:

• They must be from the island of Cyprus.
• They must have lived in Northern Cyprus for at least five years.
• They need to have finished secondary education.
• They must be over 30 years old.

The most recent presidential election was held on 11 October 2020. Ersin Tatar won and is the current president.

Who Has Been President of Northern Cyprus?

Here is a list of the leaders of Northern Cyprus since 1975.

Leaders of the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus (1975–1983)

The Turkish Federated State of Cyprus was planned to be a self-governing part of Cyprus. However, the government of the Republic of Cyprus did not agree with this plan.

No.	Name (Born–Died)	Portrait	Elected	Time in Office		Political Party
1	Rauf Denktaş (1924–2012)		1976 1981	13 February 1975	15 November 1983	Independent (until 11 October 1975) National Unity Party (from 11 October 1975)

Presidents of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (1983–Present)

This list shows all the presidents after Northern Cyprus declared its independence in 1983. This happened because the government of the Republic of Cyprus did not recognize the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus.

No.	Name (Born–Died)	Portrait	Elected	Time in Office		Political Party
1	Rauf Denktaş (1924–2012)		1985 1990 1995 2000	15 November 1983	24 April 2005	National Unity Party
2	Mehmet Ali Talat (born 1952)		2005	24 April 2005	23 April 2010	Republican Turkish Party
3	Derviş Eroğlu (born 1938)		2010	23 April 2010	30 April 2015	National Unity Party
4	Mustafa Akıncı (born 1947)		2015	30 April 2015	23 October 2020	Independent
5	Ersin Tatar (born 1960)		2020	23 October 2020	Incumbent	National Unity Party

Timeline of Presidents

This timeline shows when each president served.

Recent Presidential Election (2020)

The most recent election for president was held on 11 October 2020.

See Also

• Politics of Northern Cyprus
• Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus