Politis

Occupied Territories Official Announces Early Parliamentary Elections

Published January 22, 2026, 12:29
Occupied Territories Official Announces Early Parliamentary Elections

Fikri Ataoğlu, "Deputy Prime Minister" and "Minister of Tourism" in the occupied territories, stated that the "parliamentary elections" will be held within 2026, instead of January 2027 as initially planned. Mr. Ataoğlu avoided specifying the exact date, as the matter has not been discussed among the partners of the "government". He also mentioned the possibility of holding a referendum on "constitutional amendments", as requested by the "president" of the "supreme court", simultaneously with the "parliamentary elections". He argued that there is no "constitutional" obstacle to such a move. Regarding proportional representation, which is being discussed in the occupied territories, Mr. Ataoğlu stated that there will be a discussion with all parties, recalling that many votes have been declared invalid in previous "elections". He expressed reservations about adopting the method if it is deemed problematic. Finally, Mr. Ataoğlu referred to an earlier idea from the Tatar period to convert the old "parliament" building and the "presidential palace" into museums, noting that the current Turkish Cypriot leader has a different view on the old "presidential palace", without providing further details.