The Turkish Republic of North Cyprus is heading towards a major double election this December, with voters expected to choose both a new parliament and their local representatives on the same day under newly changed voting rules.
The Local Elections are scheduled for Sunday, 6 December 2026, with the government seeking to hold the General Election on the same date.
At an extraordinary sitting of the TRNC Parliament on Thursday, 10 September, MPs approved a motion allowing a proposal for parliamentary elections to take place on 6 December to be fast-tracked through committee.
The proposal to hold both elections on the same day must still complete the parliamentary process, with the next plenary session due to take place on 8 October.
Prime Minister Ünal Üstel and his government have made clear that they want the General and Local Elections held together, meaning Turkish Cypriot voters are highly likely to face a bumper day at the ballot box on 6 December.
Major change to how people can vote
MPs have meanwhile approved an important change to the TRNC's electoral system by abolishing karma oy, or “mixed voting”.
Until now, voters using the karma system could select individual candidates belonging to different political parties rather than committing their vote to a single party.
Under the new simplified system, voters will instead have to vote for one political party. They can still use the preference system to indicate which candidates from their chosen party they particularly want elected.
The voting system change applies to both parliamentary elections and the election of municipal councillors in the Local Elections.
It does not alter the separate votes for mayors, muhtars and members of local ihtiyar heyetleri.
Supporters of abolishing karma oy say the system was unnecessarily complicated and generated large numbers of invalid ballots.
Labour and Social Security Minister Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu, who originally proposed the change in May 2023, said around 14,000 mixed votes were cast in the 2022 General Election and 41% were ruled invalid. He argues that requiring voters to choose a party while retaining the right to select preferred candidates within that party will make voting simpler and better reflect the electorate's intentions.
UBP MP Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu originally proposed the 'karma oy' change in May 2023
The main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) opposed the amendment, criticising the government for making a fundamental change to the electoral system less than three months before the expected General Election.
50 Parliamentary seats up for election
The General Election will determine the composition of the 50-seat TRNC Parliament.
The current parliament was elected in January 2022, when the National Unity Party (UBP) emerged as the largest party.
There are presently 49 sitting MPs, with one seat vacant following former CTP leader Tufan Erhürman's election as TRNC President. The current make-up is UBP 23, CTP 18, Democratic Party (DP) 2, Rebirth Party (YDP) 2 and four independent MPs.
The political landscape has also shifted in recent days, with YDP withdrawing from Prime Minister Üstel's ruling coalition following the dismissal of its leader Erhan Arıklı as Transport and Public Works Minister.
Local Elections confirmed for 6 December
Held every four years, the Local Elections will determine the leadership and representation of North Cyprus's municipalities and local communities.
Based on the current local government structure, voters will elect 18 mayors, 220 municipal councillors, 240 muhtars and 960 members of local councils known as ihtiyar heyetleri.
At the 2022 Local Elections, CTP won seven of North Cyprus's 18 mayoralties, UBP six, independents three, with DP and TDP taking one each.
Should Parliament give final approval to the proposed General Election date, Turkish Cypriots will therefore head to the polls on 6 December for one of the country's most significant and complex election days in recent years — choosing both their national and local representatives under a newly revised voting system.
