Ünal Üstel

Ünal Üstel (born 1955) is a Turkish Cypriot politician who has been the Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus since 2022, and in the Assembly of the Republic from 1991 to 2005, and since 2009, as a member of the National Unity Party. Prior to his tenure as prime minister he held ministerial positions in multiple governments and was the Deputy Speaker of the assembly from 2001 to 2003, and 2013 to 2015.

Ünal Üstel
Official portrait, 2022
Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 May 2022
President	Ersin Tatar
Preceded by	Faiz Sucuoğlu
Leader of the National Unity Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 January 2023
Preceded by	Faiz Sucuoğlu
Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic
In office 4 September 2013 – 9 October 2015
Preceded by	Mustafa Yektaoğlu
Succeeded by	Hüseyin Avkıran Alanlı
In office 22 June 2001 – 16 January 2004
Preceded by	Salih Coşar
Succeeded by	Mehmet Bayram
Member of the Assembly of Republic
Incumbent
Assumed office 19 April 2009
Constituency	Girne (2009, 2013, 2018, 2022)
In office 13 October 1991 – 20 February 2005
Constituency	Girne (1991 by-elections [tr], 1993, 1998, 2003)
Personal details
Born	1955 (age 69–70) Paphos, Cyprus
Political party	National Unity
Children	2
Education	Istanbul University

Early life and education

Ünal Üstel was born in Paphos, Cyprus, in 1955. He was educated at Baf Kurtuluş High School. He graduated from Istanbul University as a dentist and started a private practice in Cyrus.^{[1] [2]}

Career

In 1991, he was elected to the Assembly of the Republic.^[1] In the National Unity Party (UBP), he was Deputy Secretary General from 2006 to 2009. He was the Deputy Speaker of the assembly from 21 June 2001 to 2 October 2003, and from 4 September 2013 to 9 October 2015. ^[3]

On 6 April 2011, Üstel was appointed to succeed Kemal Dürüst as Minister of Tourism and Environment after Dürüst was appointed as Minister of National Education, Youth, Culture, and Sports.^[4][3] He was Minister of Tourism and Environment in the government formed on 22 May 2019, Minister of Public Works and Transportation in the government formed on 9 December 2020, and Minister of Health from 20 February to 5 November 2021. He was Minister of the Interior under Prime Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu.^[3]

Sucuoğlu resigned on 30 April 2022. President Ersin Tatar appointed Üstel to replace Sucuoğlu on 9 May, and formed a coalition consisting of the UBP, Democratic Party, and Rebirth Party.^[5]

Personal life

Üstel is the father of two children.^[1]