,  By  T-VINE

New UBP-DP coalition gets vote of confidence in TRNC Parliament

North Cyprus’ newly-formed minority government received the all-important vote of confidence in the TRNC Parliament earlier today.

Receiving 27 of a possible 50 votes, the UBP-DP Coalition Government led by Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün now has the mandate to implement its programme.

The open vote saw all 18 UBP (National Unity Party/Ulusal Birlik Partisi) MPs, 5 DP MPs (Democrat Party/Demokrat Partisi) and 4 independent MPs cast their votes in favour of the new government.

MPs from the 20-strong main opposition CTP (Republican Turkish Party/Cumhuriyetçi Türk Partisi) and two of three TDP (Communal Democrat Party/Tomplumcu Demokrasi Partisi) MPs voted against. TDP MP Zeki Çeler did not participate in the vote.

Following the vote, Prime Minister Özgürgün said his government ‘will use the period until the elections to produce services in accordance with the expectations of the people and to work in cooperation with the Assembly.’

Denktas-Ozgurgun_vote-of-confidence_TRNCParl_27Apr16
Serdar Denktaş & Hüseyin Özgürgün head the TRNC’s 26th Government after today’s vote of confidence

The TRNC’s last General Elections were held on 28 July 2013 and have already resulted in two failed coalition governments. Initially CTP were partnered by DP. After the smaller party withdrew last July, left-wing CTP took up government with its ideological opponent UBP – the first time the two had found themselves in power together.

Differences, particularly over the management of piped water from Turkey, came to a head and at the start of April, UBP decided to withdraw its support for the coalition prompting the 25th government to collapse.

Last week, PM Özgürgün announced his cabinet. Strikingly, there is not a single woman in the TRNC’s 26th Government:

  • Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister – Serdar Denktaş (DP)
  • Foreign Affairs Minister – Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu (UBP)
  • Home Affairs Minister – Kutlu Evren (UBP)
  • Agriculture & Natural Resources Minister – Nazım Çavuşoğlu (UBP)
  • Work and Social Pensions Minister – Hamza Ersan Saner (UBP)
  • Economy and Energy Minister – Sunat Atun (UBP)
  • Transportation and Public Works Minister – Kemal Dürüst (UBP)
  • Tourism and Environment Minister – Fikri Ataoğlu (DP)
  • Education and Culture Minister – Özdemir Berova (DP)
  • Health Minister – Faiz Sucuoğlu (UBP)

 

Photos: from TRNC Prime Minister’s Office