A total of 59.3% of respondents in a recent survey conducted in the occupied areas support a federal solution to the Cyprus problem, while 32.1% back a two-state solution. According to the latest quarterly survey by the Centre for Migration, Identity and Rights Studies (CMIRS), 73% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the current relationship with Turkey.

A significant 67.3% of participants stated that the Turkish Cypriot community is “not self-governed.” This percentage has been increasing in recent years. In addition, 70.5% of the public believes there is no freedom of expression.

Only 10.45% believe that justice exists in the occupied areas—an all-time low. In December 2023, 20.91% believed there was justice in the Turkish Cypriot community, while in 2022 that figure was 29.01%. At the same time, 76% of respondents said there is “serious injustice in the country.” Women and young people report experiencing this feeling more intensely.

The director of CMIRS, Mine Yücel, stated that “public perception of justice, security, and governance has collapsed.” She added that a breaking point has been reached. “People are protesting not only against injustice but also the failure of the ‘state’ to protect them,” she noted. According to Yücel, society is struggling with feelings of insecurity, despair, and marginalization.

The survey reveals that trust in the “police” has significantly eroded across the community. While 57.3% of respondents say they do not trust the “police,” this figure rises to 71.1% among those aged 18–25. Women express lower levels of trust in the police overall. Meanwhile, trust in Turkish Cypriot “security forces” stands at 74.7%, and trust in the Turkish military in the north is at 66.1%.

According to 50.3% of respondents, the biggest problem in the occupied areas is economic hardship. This is followed by corruption at 10.4%, unemployment at 9.1%, and injustice at 8.7%. Women and individuals from lower income brackets are particularly affected by the cost-of-living crisis.

Confidence in “political institutions” is also declining. Only 2.85% of respondents trust political parties, while just 6.2% trust the “parliament.” In total, 23.6% of respondents stated, “I do not trust any leader.” The top three political figures in terms of trust are: Ersin Tatar (10.2%), Faiz Sucuoğlu (7.4%), and Tufan Erhürman (6.3%).