Turkish Cyprus seeks to extend voting rights to expats

Turkish Cyprus seeks to extend voting rights to expats

LONDON
Turkish Cyprus seeks to extend voting rights to expatsTurkish Cyprus seeks to extend voting rights to expats

Turkish Cypriot government plans to initiate "serious efforts" to enable citizens living abroad to vote in future elections, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel has announced.

During an event in London, Üstel revealed that legislative changes to the electoral law would be introduced "in the near future."

He emphasized that his government will take all necessary steps to ensure Turkish Cypriots living abroad can exercise their democratic rights.

"Restricting the right to vote for Turkish Cypriots in the U.K. makes it harder for them to voice their opinions on national issues. This could undermine their connection to Cyprus," he stated.

Currently, only citizens residing in Turkish Cyprus and those working in official missions abroad are eligible to vote. In the most recent parliamentary by-election in 2023, 210,121 people were registered to vote.

Since the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is only recognized by Türkiye, it has a limited diplomatic presence, with just one embassy and a few honorary consulates.

Should Turkish Cypriots abroad be granted voting rights, the diaspora's impact on future election results could be significant due to its size.

The British Parliament’s Home Affairs Committee estimates that there are around 300,000 Turkish Cypriots living in the United Kingdom, while other estimates suggest that 500,000 live in Türkiye and 120,000 in Australia.

The next presidential election in Turkish Cyprus is scheduled for October and the next parliamentary elections are expected be held by February 2027.