applies_to_jurisdiction national unity party 
The National Unity Party ( Turkish : Ulusal Birlik Partisi , UBP ) is a nationalist and conservative political party in Northern ___MASK65___ . It was founded by Rauf Denkta on October 11 , 1975 . The party had stayed in power from its creation until the 2003 elections with the exception of the period from 1994 -- 1996 . At the 2009 legislative elections for the House of Representatives of Northern ___MASK65___ the party won 44 % of the popular vote and 26 out of 50 seats . Its candidate , former Prime Minister Dervi Erolu amassed at the northern ___MASK65___ presidential elections ( of 17 April 2005 ) 22 . 8 % of the votes . The party is currently the junior partner in a coalition with the Republican Turkish Party . It had been the main opposition party between 2013 and 2015 . Northern ___MASK65___ , officially the ___MASK76___ ( TRNC ), is a self - declared state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of ___MASK65___ . Recognised only by Turkey , Northern ___MASK65___ is considered by the international community to be part of the Republic of ___MASK65___ . ___MASK65___ , officially the Republic of ___MASK65___ , is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean and the third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean . It is located south of Turkey , west of Syria and Lebanon , northwest of Israel and Palestine , north of Egypt , and southeast of Greece . ___MASK8___ , officially the Republic of ___MASK8___ ( Turkish : ), is a transcontinental country in Eurasia , mainly in Anatolia in Western Asia , with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeast ___MASK66___ . ___MASK8___ is a democratic , secular , unitary , parliamentary republic with a diverse cultural heritage . ___MASK8___ is bordered by eight countries : ___MASK35___ to the west ; Bulgaria to the northwest ; Georgia to the northeast ; Armenia , the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan and ___MASK85___ to the east ; and ___MASK5___ and Syria to the south . The Aegean Sea is to the west , the Black Sea to the north , and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . The Bosphorus , the Sea of Marmara , and the Dardanelles , which together form the Turkish Straits , divide Thrace and Anatolia ; they also separate ___MASK66___ and Asia . ___MASK8___ ' s location has given it geopolitical and strategic importance throughout history . Rauf Denkta , or Denktash ( 27 January 192413 January 2012 ) was a Turkish Cypriot politician , barrister and jurist who served as the founding President of Northern ___MASK65___ . He occupied this position as the President of the ___MASK76___ between the declaration of the " de facto " state by Denkta in 1983 and 2005 , as the President of the Turkish Federated State of ___MASK65___ between 1975 and 1983 and as the President of the Autonomous Turkish Cypriot Administration between 1974 and 1975 . He was also elected in 1973 as the Vice - President of the Republic of ___MASK65___ . The President of the ___MASK76___ is the head of state of the TRNC . Rauf Denkta was the first and founding president of Northern Cyprus , and retired in 2005 . His position was taken over by Mehmet Ali Talat , followed by Dervi Erolu and the current president , Mustafa Aknc .