Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar leads his challenger Tufan Erhurman by 41.8% to 40.1% in a poll published in Turkish Cypriot media 20 days before the election in the occupied north.
The survey, conducted by Turkish polling company GENAR, showed 14.9% of voters remain undecided.
The same poll found that six out of 10 Turkish Cypriots support Tatar’s position for a two-state solution, whilst a similar proportion reject Erhurman’s proposal for a federal solution.
Poll shows 58.9% support two-state solution over federal Cyprus
Ihsan Aktas, presenting the research findings, said 58.9% of respondents answered positively when asked whether they support Tatar’s position for a two-state solution, whilst 41.1% answered negatively.
When asked whether they support Erhurman’s position that Cyprus’s future should be a federation, 41.2% answered yes and 58.8% answered no, according to the poll results.
Erhan Arikli, commenting on the poll, noted that whilst Erhurman initially had a lead of four to five percentage points, the data now show Tatar ahead by one to two points. He expressed the view that Tatar’s lead will increase over the next 20 days.
Turkish government officials visiting occupied areas ahead of vote
Although Tatar’s National Unity Party rejects claims of Ankara intervention, reports in the Turkish Cypriot press maintain that the Turkish government is sending envoys to strengthen Ersin Tatar’s campaign.
According to the reports, Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) has intensified its activity in the occupied areas with the aim of securing Tatar’s re-election to the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community.
The Turkish Cypriot press reports that former AKP ministers and Turkish parliamentarians continue to arrive in the occupied areas to support Tatar’s candidacy.
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