Turkish Cypriot media reaction to Republic of Cyprus parliamentary elections

Turkish Cypriot media outlets have closely followed the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Cyprus, focusing on the rise of the ELAM party and the parliamentary entry of new political entities. DISY maintained its position as the largest party with approximately 27.2% and 17 seats, followed by AKEL with 23.9% and 15 seats. ELAM saw a significant increase to 10.9% and 8 seats, while new formations like ALMA and Fidias Panayiotou’s Direct Democracy Cyprus also gained seats. Turkish Cypriot political figures noted that pre-election polls were largely inaccurate, mirroring past observations from other electoral processes. Some Turkish Cypriot commentators expressed concern over ELAM's growth, citing its potential impact on intercommunal relations and the broader Cyprus peace process. Additionally, the newspaper Avrupa highlighted the issue of the 24 vacant parliamentary seats reserved for the Turkish Cypriot community under the 1960 constitution. Overall, the regional media perception suggests that the election outcome reinforces the existing status quo rather than signaling a shift in the settlement of the Cyprus issue.