Moderate Akinci leads Turkish Cypriot leadership election

A man waits to vote outside a polling station, during the Turkish Cypriots leadership elections in Nicosia at the Turkish Cypriot north part of the island of Cyprus, Sunday April 26, 2015. Turkish Cypriots are electing a new leader for the breakaway north of Cyprus in an unpredictable contest as talks to reunify the ethnically split island are expected to resume next month. (AP Photo/Philippos Christou) A man waits to vote outside a polling station, during the Turkish Cypriots leadership elections in Nicosia at the Turkish Cypriot north part of the island of Cyprus, Sunday April 26, 2015. Turkish Cypriots are electing a new leader for the breakaway north of Cyprus in an unpredictable contest as talks to reunify the ethnically split island are expected to resume next month. (AP Photo/Philippos Christou)

By Associated Press April 26, 2015 1 min read

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) – Challenger Mustafa Akinci has opened up an unassailable lead over incumbent hard-liner Dervis Eroglu in a runoff election to determine the next leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots.

With more than 90 percent of votes counted in Sunday’s poll, Akinci has amassed 60.51 percent of ballots against Eroglu’s 39.49 percent and looks certain to win.

Akinci is seen as a moderate who can propel forward halted reunification talks that are expected to resume next month.

Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and maintains more than 30,000 troops in the north.