Independence:
16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed
self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these
proclamations are only recognized by Turkey
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots
celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day
Constitution:
16 August 1960; from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer
participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for
a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better
relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held
intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974
Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own
constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated
State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in
1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5
May 1985
Legal system:
based on common law, with civil law modifications
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and
vice president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)
election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of
vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos
MARKIDIS 6.6%
note: Mehmet Ali TALAT becomes "president" of north Cyprus, 24 April
2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results -
Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is
"prime minister"; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in north
Cyprus, appointed by the "prime minister"
Legislative branch:
unicameral - Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives or Vouli
Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to
Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are
filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms); north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi
(50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: Republic of Cyprus: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be
held May 2006); north Cyprus: last held 14 December 2003 (next to be
held NA 2008)
election results: Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS
6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19,
DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic -
percent of vote by party - CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and
Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party - CTP 19, UBP
18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and
vice president)
note: there is also a Supreme Court in north Cyprus
Political parties and leaders:
Republic of Cyprus: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS];
Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; Fighting Democratic
Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George
PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU]; Restorative Party of the
Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS];
Social Democrats Movement or KISOS (formerly United Democratic Union
of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or
EDE [George VASSILIOU]; north Cyprus: Democratic Party or DP [Serder
DENKTASH]; National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity
Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU];
Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Alpay DURDURAN]; Peace and
Democratic Movement [Mustafa AKINCI]; Republican Turkish Party or
CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation
of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish
Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or
PEO (Communist controlled)