Sibel Siber facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sibel Siber
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Siber in 2014
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| Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic | |
| In office 4 September 2013 – 22 January 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Hasan Bozer |
| Succeeded by | Teberrüken Uluçay |
| 10th Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus | |
| In office 13 June 2013 – 2 September 2013 |
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| President | Derviş Eroğlu |
| Preceded by | İrsen Küçük |
| Succeeded by | Özkan Yorgancıoğlu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 December 1960 Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Political party | Republican Turkish Party |
| Spouse |
Rıfat Siber
(m. 1984) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Istanbul University |
Sibel Siber (born 13 December 1960) is an important Turkish Cypriot politician. She made history by becoming the first woman to serve as the Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus. She held this top leadership role from June 13, 2013, to September 2, 2013. Later, she also became the Speaker of Parliament, which is like the leader of the country's main law-making body, the Assembly of the Republic. She was the second woman to hold this position.
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Early Life and Education
Sibel Siber was born in Nicosia, Cyprus, on December 13, 1960. Her father was a primary school teacher, and her mother was a homemaker. Because her father was a teacher, her family moved to different villages and cities often when she was a child. She lived in places like Larnaca, Arsos, and Klavdia. When she was seven, her family moved to Tremetousia.
Sibel Siber remembered that traveling was scary for her as a child. This was because many Turkish Cypriots went missing on the roads during that time. However, she also remembered how peacefully the two communities lived together in Tremetousia. She finished primary school there and then went to the Nicosia Turkish Girls' High School.
Becoming a Doctor
When she was 16, Sibel Siber was accepted into the Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine at Istanbul University. She worked hard and graduated as a physician on April 5, 1983. She then continued her studies to become a specialist in internal medicine, finishing in 1987.
After her training, she returned to Cyprus and opened her own medical clinic. In 1989, she received a special scholarship. This allowed her to train further in treating diabetes and problems with hormones (called endocrinology) at the University of Virginia in the United States.
Her very first article was published in 1983. It was about how to make the healthcare system in Northern Cyprus better.
Political Career Highlights
Sibel Siber has held two very important positions in Northern Cyprus. She was the Prime Minister and later the Speaker of Parliament.
Serving as Prime Minister
Sibel Siber became the Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus on June 13, 2013. She took over after the previous government lost a "vote of no confidence." This means that the parliament decided they no longer supported the old government. Her time as Prime Minister lasted until September 2, 2013. She was the first woman ever to be the Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus, which was a big step for the country.
Becoming Speaker of Parliament
After her time as Prime Minister, Sibel Siber became the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic. This is the leader of the parliament, where laws are made. She held this role from September 4, 2013, until January 22, 2018. She was the second woman to hold this important position.
2015 Presidential Campaign
In 2015, Sibel Siber decided to run for president of Northern Cyprus. She promised that if she won, she would work to help solve the long-standing dispute in Cyprus. She believed the president plays a key role in solving big problems for the community.
She also talked about her time as Prime Minister. She said she would continue to be open, honest, and trustworthy if she became president. On March 13, she officially applied to be a candidate. Her political party, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), announced her as their official candidate on March 23.
Many important members of her party supported her. This included the Prime Minister at the time, Özkan Yorgancıoğlu, and former president Mehmet Ali Talat. They were hopeful that she would win the first round of the election.
The first round of the election happened on April 19, 2015. Sibel Siber came in third place out of seven candidates. She received 24,271 votes, which was about 22.53% of all votes. She did not win enough votes to move on to the next round, and another candidate, Mustafa Akıncı, eventually won the election.
Private Life
Sibel Siber met her husband, Dr. Rıfat Siber, who is a urologist (a doctor who specializes in the urinary system). They met when she was volunteering at the Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital after she graduated from medical school. They got married in 1984. In 1985, they had their daughter, Sümer.
