The self-declared coalition government of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) collapsed on Thursday due to differences of opinion between the coalition partners.

Dervis Eroglu, the Turkish Cypriot prime minister and the leader of the National Unity Party (UBP), resigned his post and said it was impossible to proceed with the coalition government composed of the UBP and the Communal Liberation Party (TKP).

The differences between the Turkish Cypriot government coalition parties had been running high for a long time over the escalating economic crisis and negotiations with the Greek Cyprus.

Cyprus has been effectively divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the north of the island in response to a Greek Cypriot coup backed by the then military government in Athens. The TRNC is only recognized by Ankara, while the Greek Cypriot government enjoys international recognition. Furthermore, while Ankara insists that Northern Cyprus in independent, the Turkish Army maintains 30,000 troops on the island.

The center-left TKP, led by Mustafa Akinci, maintains that Northern Cyprus should act more independently from Turkey. The TKP strongly supports the reunification of Northern Cyprus with Greek Cyprus within a federation

Due to economic and political crisis in Turkey and stalemate in talks between the presidents of Greek Cyprus and Turkish Cyprus, the parties opposed to Eroglu's government have taken a tough stance against politics exercised by the Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktash, who has so far acted just within the framework of dictates from Ankara. That is why he considers the formation of two independent governments within a federation as the only solution to the Cyprus issue. According to his political opponents, Turkish Cyprus has now entered a dark and dangerous period.

Political analysts believe the collapse of the self-declared coalition government was instigated by orders from Turkey, which is under heavy pressure from the European countries to settle the Cyprus issue and which is opposed to the spread of political sentiments in the TRNC in favor of the European Union and the unification of Cyprus.

However, political and social developments in Northern Cyprus show an increasing public opposition to the continuing presence of the Turkish troops on the island.

The aggravation of economic problems in Turkish Cyprus as well as the inability of President Denktash and his colleagues to find a remedy to these problems have cast a shadow of uncertainty on the future of this island.

Backed by Ankara, the political clique in Northern Cyprus has recently been trying to establish a front called the National Popular Movement in order to express its loyalty to Ankara and Turkish Army. Consequently, President Denktash has ordered Eroglu to form a pro-Turkish rightist cabinet.

Presently, the self-declared government of Northern Cyprus is facing international pressure to agree to the idea of unification as well as political instability and economic problems in the areas under its control.

The fact is that Turkey, the only supporter of the TRNC, is itself entangled in numerous financial, political and social crises much worse than the problems afflicting Northern Cyprus.