The Republican Turkish Party’s (CTP) Dr Sibel Siber makes history as North Cyprus’ first female Prime Minister, heading an interim coalition Government into the general elections due to take place on 28 July. She takes over following the collapse of the National Unity Party (UBP) led TRNC government two weeks ago. The country’s three opposition parties CTP, Democrat Party (DP), and Communal Democrat Party (TDP) jointly nominated Dr Siber to head the interim government, which was accepted by the TRNC President Dervis Eroglu on 11 June.
UBP lost its majority status in the 50-seat TRNC Parliament when eight of its 28 MPs defected and voted against the party in a vote of no confidence, forcing the TRNC government to collapse on 5 June. The eight MPs were angry with UBP leader Irsen Kucuk for failing to adhere to both party and TRNC laws, accusing him of ‘damaging the country’. When the eight MPs, which include former leadership rival Dr Ahmet Kasif, were threatened with expulsion they all resigned on 26 May and went on to form a coalition with Serdar Denktas’ DP.
Dr Siber is an MP for Lefkosa. A married mother of two, she graduated as a doctor from Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty in 1987 and has worked as a consultant in internal diseases for many years. A fluent English speaker and long-term CTP supporter, Dr Siber was first elected to the TRNC Parliament in 2009. She is now charged with forming an interim government which will take the country into the next general elections due at the end of July.
Embargoed! congratulate the TRNC on this historic development and wish Prime Minister Siber every success with her interim Government.