Chaos in TRNC parliament as members fails to elect a new speaker

The political scene in North Cyprus experienced a major scandal recently when Zorlu Töre, attempted to declare himself Speaker of the Assembly despite the fact that he lost in all the voting rounds.

Töre, a member of the ruling UBP party, was nominated nine times for Speaker of Assembly, but failed to secure enough votes each time. In the final vote, Töre received 23 votes in favour, 25 against, and 1 invalid vote, losing once again.

However, after losing, Töre tried to intervene in the official records, attempting to change the result. He even went as far as to declare himself Speaker of the Assembly. This was all caught on camera. The official records clearly stated that Töre had lost, but his actions threw the Assembly into chaos.

Main opposition leader of the CTP, Tufan Erhürman, was highly critical of the situation, calling it a disgrace and saying that the government had come to a standstill. He demanded an early election, as he believed the political deadlock was too serious to continue.

Tensions ran high in parliament during these proceedings. At one point, Ahmet Savaşan (UBP) physically attacked CTP members, leading to a brawl in the Assembly hall.

The day started with meetings between UBP leader and Prime Minister Ünal Üstel and CTP leader Tufan Erhürman, but no solution was found for the ongoing parliamentary crisis. Rumours spread about health issues among UBP members, including Töre, who was reportedly hospitalised for high blood pressure but later discharged.

Despite his health issues, Töre returned to parliament in the evening, looking energetic. The UBP nominated him again for Speaker, but after five rounds of voting, he still failed to secure the necessary majority. Each round saw similar results, with Töre unable to gather enough support.

In the final round, Töre tried to claim victory despite clearly losing the vote. He even attempted to alter the legal records to show himself as the winner, which outraged the opposition members. CTP members immediately protested his actions, with Sami Özuslu sharing the official voting record with the press, which showed that Töre had indeed lost.

This chaotic situation has left the government paralysed, with no clear solution in sight. Erhürman reiterated his call for early elections, insisting that the political crisis within the UBP is unsustainable. Meanwhile, the government’s next move remains uncertain, and the situation continues to escalate.

LGC News, Yeniduzen