LEFKOSA - Mehmet Ali Talat, the current Prime Minister of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the leader of the (main opposition) Republican Turkish Party (CTP), has become the new president of TRNC, gaining the absolute majority in the first round of presidential elections held today (Sunday).
Talat has become the second president of TRNC, winning 55.6 percent of votes, according to unofficial results of the presidential elections.
This presidential election is the seventh held since foundation of TRNC, while TRNC's first president Rauf Denktas did not run for this election.
-TALAT'S BIOGRAPHY-
Mehmet Ali Talat was born in Girne on July 6th, 1952. Completing his secondary education on Cyprus, Talat graduated from Ankara's Middle East Technical University (METU).
After returning to TRNC, Talat, an electrical engineer, opened his own workplace on cooling systems.
Taking part in political activities when he was a university student, Talat continued such activities after he returned to the island, and played an important role in establishment of Turkish Cypriot unions and Turkish Cypriot Students' Youth Federation (KOGEF). He became the first chairman of the executive board of KOGEF.
Also actively participating in the CTP's youth movement, Talat served committees and organs of CTP for many years. Talat also worked as the secretary of the party responsible for educational affairs.
Talat was charged as the Minister of Education & Culture in the first coalition government formed by his party and the Democrat Party (DP) after the general elections held in December of 1993. He undertook the same post in the second DP-CTP coalition, and became the State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in the third DP-CTP coalition government.
Mehmet Ali Talat was elected as the leader of CTP in the 14th convention of CTP held on January 14th, 1996. After being elected a parliamentarian from Lefkosa on December 14th, 2003, Talat formed CTP-DP coalition government on January 13th, 2004.
Winning a victory in the February 20th parliamentary elections, Talat formed the second CTP-DP coalition, and is still the prime minister of TRNC.
Talat, who can speak English, is married with two children.