NICOSIA: Voters in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus went to the polls on Sunday to choose a new leader in an election runoff that could speed UN-brokered reunification talks.
Polls were due to close at 6 pm (1500 GMT) with unofficial results expected two hours later.
Nationalist incumbent Dervis Eroglu won the most votes in a first round last weekend but is expected to be trumped by reconciliationist challenger Mustafa Akinci after some three-quarters of the votes went to more compromising candidates.
Voters streamed steadily into polling stations in Nicosia from early morning, many bringing their children along to share the experience.
"For our future and our children's future it is important to vote," said Arman Anik, 38. "We are entering a critical period and it is important to give the job to the right person."
Akinci is a former mayor of the Turkish Cypriot half of the island's divided capital Nicosia and has been one of his community's most outspoken advocates of reconciliation with the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government.
A UN-monitored ceasefire line has divided the Mediterranean resort island since 1974 when Turkish troops occupied its northern third in response to an Athens-inspired coup seeking union with Greece.
The Turkish Cypriots, who had already pulled out of government institutions in the face of communal violence in 1963, declared their breakaway state in 1983.
But it is recognised only by Turkey, which provides around a third of its budget.
Voters said they hoped their next leader would end Turkish Cypriots' international isolation.
"We are under stress. There are economic problems and respect for each other has decreased due to our indefinite (status)," said Nazife Kunt, 65.
The United Nations has put forward multiple peace plans but they have all failed, notably a plan by then UN chief Kofi Annan that was approved by Turkish Cypriots but rejected by Greek Cypriots in simultaneous votes in 2004.
- 'Unwanted developments' -
Eroglu, in power since 2010, won 28.2 percent of the votes in the first round, ahead of Akinci and the TRNC's first woman prime minister Sibel Siber.
Campaigning turned sour last week, with Eroglu accusing Akinci of seeking to remove a giant TRNC flag from the mountains overlooking Nicosia and alleging that he is backed by Washington.
After casting his ballot at a primary school in the capital, Akinici told reporters there had been "unwanted developments" in the lead-up to polling day but thanked voters "who have tried their best for democracy".
Election organisers said they were investigating reports that around 50 ballot papers had gone missing from a polling station in the eastern town of Famagusta.
UN-sponsored peace talks are set to resume after Sunday's election following a Greek Cypriot decision to end a six-month boycott.
The Cyprus government had been protesting moves by Turkey to explore possible offshore oil and gas reserves amid Greek Cypriot party political divisions over austerity moves demanded by the deeply indebted island's international creditors.
Voters were more circumspect about the prospects of the election leading to that long sought-after goal.
"The people we elected in the past gave us hope then did nothing," said Ugur Barani, 48.
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