Biography

Born in Lefkoşa in 1953, Mr Ertuğruloğlu graduated from the University of Arizona, Faculty of Political Sciences, with a degree in International Relations.

During 1983-1991 he served at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence. During 1986-1991 he was assigned to the TRNC London Representative Office, responsible for Political Affairs. He was appointed Undersecretary of the Prime Ministry in 1991 and held this office until 1994. In 1995, he attended a yearlong education programme, Humphrey Fellowship, on Public Administration at Minnesota University of America. He was reassigned as the Undersecretary of the Prime Ministry in 1996. He served as a member and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bayrak Radio Television Corporation. He was elected as a National Unity Party (UBP) MP for Lefkoşa on 6 December 1998 and served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence in the coalition governments of UBP – Communal Liberation Party (TKP) and UBP – Democrat Party (DP) between the years of 1999 – 2004.

He was elected as a UBP MP for Lefkoşa in the General Elections on 14 December 2003, and in the Early General Elections on 20 February 2005.

In the UBP congress held on 16 December 2006 he was elected as the Leader of UBP. He held this office until 29 November 2008.

He was re-elected as a UBP MP for Lefkoşa on 19 April 2009. During June 2009 – April 2010, he represented UBP in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

During 15 March 2010 and 15 July 2011, he served as an independent MP. He founded the Democracy and Trust Party on 15 July 2011, and on 31 December 2012 he rejoined the UBP.