Turkish-held northern Cyprus, a breakaway state recognised only by Ankara, votes Sunday for a new leader in a run-off election held amid heightened tensions in the eastern Mediterranean.
The presidential vote pits the incumbent and favourite, Mustafa Akinci, 72 — who supports reunification with the majority Greek-speaking EU member the Republic of Cyprus in the south — against the right-wing Turkish nationalist Ersin Tatar.
Tatar, 60, who advocates a two-state solution, now holds the title of prime minister in the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). He has controversially received the open backing of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.