Turkish Cypriot UBP party in crisis following primary election

The Turkish Cypriot ruling National Unity Party (UBP) is facing a significant political crisis following its primary election held on October 24 at the Ataturk sports hall in Nicosia. The event, intended to select 41 candidates for the upcoming legislative elections on December 6, descended into turmoil as participants challenged the integrity of the vote counts. Consequently, 17 official objections have been filed, demanding a full recount of the results.

In the aftermath of the chaotic proceedings, 'health minister' Hakan Dincyurek resigned from his government post and withdrew his candidacy. Meanwhile, party leader and 'prime minister' Unal Ustel reportedly traveled to Ankara amidst the internal instability. Opposition leaders, including Sila Usar Incirli of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), have criticized the UBP leadership for their lack of transparency and failure to address the grievances of party members. The future composition of the party's candidate list remains uncertain as the leadership struggles to maintain cohesion ahead of the December vote.