The recent victory of Tufan Erhürman in the occupied areas is not just an electoral shift. It is a development of historical and political significance for the whole of Cyprus. It is a reminder that the basis of any realistic prospect for resolving the Cyprus question remains understanding and cooperation between the two communities — a principle set out in the first years after the invasion, but left unfulfilled for more than half a century.
The new Turkish Cypriot leader has stated clearly his intention to work for the reunification of Cyprus within the framework of a Bizonal, Bicommunal Federation, with respect for democracy, equality, and a European orientation. This position breaks with the anachronism and nationalist entrapment that kept the island in stagnation.
The Greek Cypriot side remains open to dialogue; however, internally it faces pressure from circles which, after decades of paralysis, approach every new initiative with mistrust. At the same time, in both communities fatigue with waiting has begun to set in — the sense that partition, after 51 years, has become almost “normal.” This dangerous illusion must be overturned.
The choice made by Turkish Cypriot society was mature and courageous. It resisted pressure and sent a clear message of democracy, autonomy, and European orientation. With this stance, it expressed the desire to leave behind dependencies and to chart a new political path of coexistence and institutional equality. This new reality can provide the foundation for restarting dialogue, based on mutual respect, a realistic approach, and the will to build a common future.
The timing is also favorable. The envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, is returning to the island to explore the conditions for resuming talks. If the will of both sides is sincere, and if the international community shows consistency and support, then it is possible to shape a formula for dialogue that will rise above nationalist pressures and, above all, the suffocating control that Turkey exerts over the Turkish Cypriot community.
The reunification of Cyprus is not only about the island itself. It is a prerequisite for the stability and security of the entire Eastern Mediterranean. A united Cypriot state — European and democratic — can act as a bridge of cooperation between Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa: as a platform for dialogue, energy security, and coexistence. In a period when our region is searching for a new balance, a peaceful settlement of the Cyprus question would send a powerful message that the path of cooperation and mutual understanding remains open.
Responsibility now lies with everyone: with the two leaders, with the European Union, with the United Nations, and with the countries directly linked to Cyprus — Greece and Turkey. For Greece, a viable solution to the Cyprus question is a cornerstone of regional stability and of peaceful coexistence in the Eastern Mediterranean. For Turkey, by contrast, the era of faits accomplis no longer serves its strategic interests. In a new geopolitical environment that is taking shape — with Europe seeking greater autonomy and the Middle East’s balance shifting — its contribution to a just settlement would strengthen its credibility and open the way to a new relationship of trust with Europe.
Cyprus can become the place where reason prevails over nationalism and cooperation replaces division. Only in this way will the prosperity of all Cypriots — Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots — be secured, along with the future of an island that has the right to live united, peaceful, and creative.