Ziya Öztürkler Officially Becomes the Speaker of the TRNC Parliament

The process to elect the Speaker of Parliament in Northern Cyprus has come to an end. The decision to appoint Ziya Öztürkler as the Speaker of the TRNC Assembly has been officially published in the "Official Gazette."

In accordance with the Constitution and the Internal Regulations of the Republic’s Assembly, the election results from the fifth, sixth, and seventh sessions of the Second Assembly, held on October 7 and October 18, 2024, have been formally published.

According to the document, Ziya Öztürkler was elected as Speaker of the Republican Assembly in the fifth round of voting, receiving 26 votes in favor and 23 against.

However, the matter is not entirely settled yet. The publication of the election results has sparked dissatisfaction from the opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP), which claims that at least three votes were invalid due to multiple stamps on the ballots.

CTP leader Tufan Erhürman confirmed on social media that his party has officially objected to the election results and criticized the government's decision to publish them in the "Official Gazette."

It's worth noting that the elections for the Speaker of the Republic’s Assembly began on October 7 and lasted 11 days, marred by several controversies.

Ziya Öztürkler was born on November 2, 1978, in Nicosia. He previously served as Minister of the Interior in the UBP-DP-YDP coalition government, formed on May 12, 2022. He left the position on August 11, 2023, but continues to serve as a Member of Parliament representing the National Unity Party (UBP).