Turkish Cyprus to see first female prime minister

NICOSIA – Anatolia News Agency

President Derviş Eroğlu (R) assigned June 11, Republican Turkish Party-United Front lawmaker Sibel Siber to form a caretaker government until the elections. AA photo

Embroiled in a political crisis after the government fell last week, Turkish Cyprus is preparing to see its first female prime minister after President Derviş Eroğlu assigned June 11 Republican Turkish Party-United Front (CTP-BG) lawmaker Sibel Siber to form a caretaker government until the elections. Former Prime Minister İrsen Küçük said recently he expected the president to ask the ruling National Unity Party (UBP) to form a caretaker government and it would be “clear disrespect” of society’s will if efforts were made to form a new government ahead of the election process.

Eroğlu met with Siber, the joint candidate for opposition parties CTP-BG, Democratic Party National Forces (DP-UG) and the Communal Democracy Party (TDP), at the presidential palace after the government, headed by İrsen Küçük, fell on June 5 after a vote of no confidence passed through Parliament.

Eroğlu said he would approve her prime ministry after a Cabinet is formed and passed by Parliament. The president said he wished for a safe and sound democratic election, expressing hope that the June 28 elections would produce a stable government. Meanwhile, Küçük visited Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the same day in Ankara.

A group of eight lawmakers from Küçük’s UBP issued the motion of no confidence together with opposition parties, paving the way for early elections. Küçük said June 12 that the fall of the government had been executed by those who had not “digested democracy” inside his party, adding that it was an “attack on democracy.”

“Eight UBP lawmakers left the party, like betraying someone, and collaborated with the opposition parties to overthrow the government,” Küçük told Anatolia news agency.