Turkish Cypriots reacts to call for the annexation of northern Cyprus with Turkey by Turkish far-right leader

LEFKOSA/ANKARA — Calls by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should become “Turkey’s 82nd province” have provoked swift and widespread condemnation from political figures across Northern Cyprus.

Bahçeli, speaking at an MHP parliamentary group meeting in Ankara, said the TRNC’s recent presidential election turnout was unsatisfactory and argued the territory should be integrated with Turkey, describing the proposal as “a matter of life and death.” His remarks triggered strong responses from parties and politicians in the north, who described the proposal as reckless, demeaning and destabilising.

Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Secretary-General Erkut Şahali called Bahçeli’s comments “unfortunate” and said they demonstrated a lack of understanding of the TRNC, its people and the Cyprus issue. Şahali warned the remarks attacked the TRNC’s sovereignty and stressed that Turkey’s role in Cyprus is tied to guarantees and obligations rooted in the island’s history and the rights of the Turkish Cypriot community. He described Bahçeli’s statements as “so bereft of sense and reason that they are not worth debating.”

Democrat Party (DP) Secretary-General and owner of Girne American university Serhat Akpınar likewise rejected the proposal. Akpınar told local media the idea was “unacceptable,” insisting the TRNC’s existence is based on the will of its people and that annexation is neither desired nor an option. He said Bahçeli’s remarks risked creating serious unease and indicated DP planned to raise the issue with Turkish authorities.

Toplumcu Demokrasi Partisi (TDP) leader Zeki Çeler condemned the comments on social media, calling them a blatant insult to the Turkish Cypriot people and their democratic choices. Çeler said failing to respect the free will expressed at the ballot box amounts to an expression of “fascism” and vowed his party would continue to defend the TRNC’s democratic rights. 

Lefkoşa Turkish Municipality (LTB) Mayor Mehmet Harmancı accused Bahçeli’s remarks of reflecting motives other than patriotism. Posting on social media, Harmancı suggested the real concern behind talk of annexation was the possible disruption of entrenched criminal and illicit financial networks, and vowed to “clean the homeland of mafia rule.” Local outlets carried his comments as a forceful rebuttal to the idea of integration with Turkey. 

Even figures from TRNC parties with traditionally close ties to Turkey expressed alarm. Ulusal Birlik Partisi (UBP) Central Executive Committee member Mahmut Toray Hüdaverdi said the rhetoric risked harming the Turkish Cypriot people’s attachment to Turkey. Hüdaverdi reminded audiences that a sovereign TRNC government exists and warned that talk of turning the territory into a Turkish province could erode the very bonds such talk purports to strengthen. 

Critics say Bahçeli’s proposal not only misreads the political and legal realities on the island but also endangers sensitive ties between Turkish and Turkish Cypriot institutions. 

Supporters of the TRNC repeatedly emphasised that any change to the island’s status would require broad democratic consent and clear international and legal processes — conditions opponents say Bahçeli’s remarks entirely overlook.

Bahçeli’s original comments have continued to reverberate in both Ankara and Lefkosia, prompting calls from several TRNC politicians for clarifications or retractions. 

The debate underscores how proposals regarding Cyprus’ status remain highly charged and capable of provoking cross-border political fallout.