The Year 2025 In Our Country: A Packed Agenda From Elections And Earthquakes To Festivals And Scandals

One of the defining developments of the year was the presidential election, which dominated political life and public debate. Alongside this, the Republic Complex—housing the new Presidential Palace and the Republic Assembly buildings—was officially opened, symbolising a significant institutional transformation.

In the field of science and technology, the country hosted the Aviation, Space and Technology Festival, TEKNOFEST TRNC, for the first time. The event drew widespread public attention and underscored growing ambitions in innovation and technological development.

On the diplomatic front, Ali Murat Başçeri was appointed as Turkey’s Ambassador to Nicosia, marking a notable change in Ankara’s diplomatic representation.

The final months of the year were overshadowed by corruption investigations that sent shockwaves through the public sector. The arrests of the Chairman of the Central Tender Commission, S.C., and the Undersecretary of the Prime Ministry, H.C., on bribery charges became one of the most striking developments of 2025.

Judicial processes also remained high on the public agenda. In the KSTU case, three defendants were sentenced to prison, while proceedings began against several suspects in the fake diploma scandal, exposing systemic vulnerabilities within educational institutions.

Throughout the year, amendments to the “Disciplinary Regulation” sparked widespread controversy, triggering protests and actions by trade unions. The Constitutional Court ultimately annulled the changes on 25 September, bringing an end to months of heated debate.

Natural disasters added to the sense of uncertainty. Two consecutive earthquakes measuring 5.5 and 5.4 on the Richter scale, with their epicentre in Paphos, were felt across the TRNC, causing fear among the public amid numerous aftershocks.

Infrastructure problems also came to the fore when an explosion at the Güneşköy Transformer Station plunged the entire country into a widespread power outage, highlighting vulnerabilities in the electricity network.

In political party life, a historic milestone was reached when the Republican Turkish Party elected Sıla Usar İncirli as its first female leader.

The year also saw progress in the long-running İsias Hotel case. Legal proceedings were launched against six public officials found to bear responsibility for the hotel’s collapse, a case closely followed by the public due to its human and institutional implications.

Traffic safety remained a major concern. Between 1 January and 27 December, traffic accidents across the TRNC claimed the lives of 42 people, underscoring persistent challenges in road safety.

From elections to earthquakes, festivals to scandals, 2025 left a deep imprint on political, social and economic life, standing out as a year of profound change, crisis and reflection.