CYPRUS: Akinci, Eroglu in Turkish Cypriot elections runoff

Moderate veteran politician Mustafa Akinci made it through to the second round of presidential elections in the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus, where incumbent conservative leader Dervis Eroglu failed to secure a first-past-the-post victory and both will go to a run-off on April 26.

Analysts were quick to comment that the outcome, nearly a month before the resumption of peace talks with the Greek Cypriot side, could lead to a new momentum in the UN-sponsored effort, with recent discoveries of natural gas off the south of the island complicating matters further.
Akinci, a respected former mayor of the Turkish part of the divided capital, received 26.7% of the votes and will probably try to secure a partnership with second runner-up Sibel Siber who garnered 22.5%.
But to lock a victory for next Sunday, he will also have to appeal to Kudret Ozersay, the dark horse of the race, who secured an unexpected 21.2% of the vote and split the Eroglu supporters, with the incumbent getting only 28.4%. In all, the voter turnout was 62%, which means that the main candidates will try and reinvigorate the undecided.
Eroglu, who commentators say does not enjoy much favour with Ankara, was, however, the defender of Turkey’s hardline position on the island’s division, while Akinci has already made remarks about a new effort in peace talks and has previously talked of re-opening the ghost-town of Famagusta as a sweetener to the Greek Cypriot side to resume talks that could lead to a federal reunification.