YDP Joins Forces with Milletin Partisi in Strategic Merger

Political Merger in Northern Cyprus: YDP and Milletin Partisi Unite

In a significant development within the political landscape of Northern Cyprus, two Turkish Cypriot political parties have decided to join forces. The YDP and the Milletin Partisi are poised to complete their merger this Sunday, marking a new chapter in the region’s governance.

The Milletin Partisi, which currently lacks representation in the elected body, will be absorbed by the YDP, a key player in the north’s tripartite governing coalition. This move comes after initial resistance from Milletin Partisi leader Bertan Zaroglu, who had previously dismissed the idea of merging with the YDP when proposed by YDP leader Erhan Arikli in March. Despite his initial stance, Zaroglu has since embraced the concept, citing the country’s welfare as the primary motivator for this union.

Zaroglu, speaking on Genc TV, emphasized that the decision to merge was taken after careful consideration and dialogue between the parties, with the ultimate goal of serving the country’s best interests. He noted that the merger process might have been more complicated had Talip Atalay secured the YDP leadership. Zaroglu also addressed questions regarding potential changes to traffic regulations, suggesting that such issues are secondary to more pressing concerns facing the region.

A notable aspect of this political merger is Zaroglu’s history with the YDP. As a founding member in 2016 and an elected ‘MP’ in 2018 alongside Arikli, his journey came full circle after founding Milletin Partisi in 2021 and a brief stint with another ruling party, UBP. Following an unsuccessful election bid with UBP, Zaroglu returned to Milletin Partisi earlier this year.

The upcoming formalization of the merger between the YDP and Milletin Partisi is expected to reshape the dynamics of Turkish Cypriot politics, potentially strengthening the ruling coalition’s position and altering the course of future policy-making in Northern Cyprus.