Majority of Turkish Cypriots want solution to Cyprus issue, survey finds
Three out of five Turkish Cypriots are in favor of a solution to the long-running Cyprus dispute, a recent survey by the Center for Migration, Identity and Rights Studies (CMIRS) based in Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus has indicated.
Of the 500 participants, 59% favored a settlement, while 40.9% opposed it.
The survey, conducted in September, highlighted frustration over stalled peace talks since 2017, Turkey’s interventions, changes in Turkish Cypriot leadership and the failure of UN-brokered peace talks. It revealed mixed feelings about the chances of a deal, with nearly half expressing no optimism.
In a potential referendum, 31.17% said they would definitely vote “no,” 8.3% “probably no,” 24.29% “probably yes,” 30.16% said “yes” and 6.07% were undecided.
Cyprus gained independence from Britain in 1960, but violence soon fractured shared governance between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Turkey’s 1974 invasion seized more than a third of the island, displacing over 160,000 Greek Cypriots to the south. Reunification talks collapsed in 2017 and remain deadlocked. The breakaway entity in northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey, and its Turkish Cypriot leadership wants international recognition.
