The Center for the Study of Migration, Identity and Rights (CMIRS) has published the latest data from a survey conducted among Turkish Cypriots by personal interview with 500 respondents.
The results of the third wave study for June 2026 capture an alarming gap between the desire for peace and the fear of its practical implementation.
The overwhelming majority of participants were in favor of changes. Thus, 65.09 percent of the respondents stated their readiness to reach an agreement on the settlement of the Cyprus problem, and 59.96 percent called the continuation of the current status quo absolutely unacceptable. At the same time, the model of a two—zonal, two-communal federation based on political equality received the broadest public support, with 75.94 percent of respondents approving it. 61.37 percent of participants considered the option of a confederate structure acceptable, while only 25.95 percent supported the model of a unitary state. However, CMIRS Director Mina Yucel noted that this latest indicator is steadily increasing compared to previous measurements, which can be regarded as indirect evidence of growing frustration in the protracted negotiation process.
At the same time, the survey recorded an extremely high level of anxiety in the Turkish Cypriot community.
The Cyprus problem remains a serious source of stress, not only on a political, but also on an economic, social, and even domestic level. 88.38 percent of respondents expressed concern about the current uncertainty, while 82.36 percent called the very fact of the freezing or failure of negotiations alarming. People are particularly worried about external risks: 92.58 percent fear increased international isolation and the introduction of new restrictions, while 91.98 percent are convinced that the lack of a solution directly hinders economic development. Moreover, 92.39 percent of the participants expressed serious concern about the recent energy agreements concluded by the Greek Cypriot side, while over ninety percent of the respondents were generally concerned about security and energy developments in the Eastern Mediterranean.
One of the most revealing and paradoxical results of the study was the ambivalent attitude towards the federal model. Although three quarters of society supports it, 63.52 percent of respondents admitted that the very prospect of a federal solution causes them anxiety. According to Mina Yucel, this does not mean that people reject the federation as such, but rather that society is not ready to support any of the proposed options. Turkish Cypriots are looking for a sustainable, calculated solution that will provide reliable guarantees of security, economic stability and political certainty. The expert explained that the high level of anxiety reflects fear not so much of the model itself as of the unpredictability of the implementation process and its ultimate consequences.
The study also touched upon inter-communal sentiments. The idea of re-living with Greek Cypriots was supported by 50.31 percent of the respondents — exactly half of the society, according to the director of CMIRS, retains a positive attitude towards peaceful coexistence. The other half is still wary of the idea. Mine Yucel stressed that this distribution signals the urgent need for consistent work to strengthen social trust and develop mutual ties between the two communities, since the high will to resolve does not in itself negate deep-rooted fears and prejudices.
Thus, the data from June 2026 paints a complex and multidimensional picture. Turkish Cypriot society is clearly ripe for change and tired of the frozen status quo, but it is not inclined to blindly trust any of the ready-made solution templates. Economic risks, international pressure, and regional instability worry people even more than political differences. Any new proposal for a Cyprus settlement, according to CMIRS experts, should be accompanied by detailed and transparent guarantees that will overcome the barrier of mutual distrust and reduce stress levels recorded in almost all key survey parameters.
A source: philenews.com
https://cyprusbutterfly.com.cy/news/kiprskij-tupik-turok-kipriotov-gotovyi
