Ersin Tatar was born in 1960 in Lefkoşa/Nicosia, Cyprus.
His maternal family extends to Müftü Hakkı Efendi, prominent Turkish Cypriot personality and leader.
His grandfather, Cemal Müftüzade, was the Undersecretary of Vice President Dr. Fazıl Küçük of the 1960 bi-communal partnership Republic of Cyprus.
His mother, Canev Tatar, passed away when Ersin Tatar was eight years old.
His father, Rüstem Tatar, was the economics advisor of the Turkish Cypriot delegation during the negotiations and signing of the 1959 London and Zurich agreements that led to the establishment of the bi-communal partnership Republic of Cyprus in 1960.
Following its establishment Rüstem Tatar was appointed Chief Auditor of the 1960 bi-communal partnership Republic of Cyprus.
On the hijacking of the seat of the partnership Republic of Cyprus by the Greek Cypriot partner in December 1963 Rüstem Tatar became the Minister of Finance of the Turkish Cypriot Administration from 1967 until the proclamation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983, resulting in him becoming one of the most prominent figures in Turkish Cypriot politics.
In addition to being born into politics, Ersin Tatar developed a passion for politics, in particular on issues affecting the Turkish Cypriot people.
Tatar completed his primary and secondary education in Cyprus and his high school and university education in England.
He graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1982 with a degree in Economics and worked until 1986 at the UK Head Office of Price Waterhouse, the world’s leading audit and financial consultancy company.
Later, he crossed paths with prominent Turkish Cypriot businessman Asil Nadir and Polly Peck, one of the most successful international companies of the time.
Between 1986 and 1990, Ersin Tatar worked at Polly Peck in England, engaging with prominent international business people.
In 1990 he was offered the position of Finance Manager at FMC-Nurol Savunma Sanayi A.Ş. (major military equipment company) in Ankara.
Between the years 1992 and 2001, he served as the Finance Coordinator of one of the most popular television channels, Show TV, based in Istanbul, Turkey.
Having a special interest in media, Ersin Tatar founded “Kanal T”, the first private television channel in North Cyprus, in 1996. This is the time he decided to enter into active politics in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and joined the closest party to his views, the National Unity Party (UBP).
After being elected to the Party Assembly and serving as the Deputy Secretary General of UBP, he was elected Member of Parliament in the early general elections of April 19, 2009.
Ersin Tatar served as the Minister of Finance in the 8th Derviş Eroğlu Government, which was established on May 4, 2009, and kept this position in the İrsen Küçük Government, which was established on May 27, 2010.
He successfully continued as the Minister of Finance until 2013 and was elected as Member of Parliament again in the elections held in the same year.
Ersin Tatar, who served actively in the Finance, Economy, Budget and Planning Committee of the Assembly of the TRNC from 2013 to 2018, continued to be the chairman of this committee for a period.
He was elected to Parliament for the third time in the general elections held on January 8, 2018 and was elected as the Chairman at the UBP Congress held in October the same year.
Ersin Tatar was assigned the task of forming the new government upon the resignation of the coalition government on May 8, 2019, and became the Prime Minister of the TRNC on May 22, 2019.
Besides active politics, Ersin Tatar has also served in many non-governmental organisations, associations and clubs.
Tatar served as the Chairman of the Istanbul Cyprus Turkish Cultural Association between 1997 and 2001 and Chairman at the Yenicami Ağdelen Sports Club (YAK) between 2001 and 2003.
Ersin Tatar became the fifth President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, being elected in the second round run-off on October 18, 2020.
Ersin Tatar took the oath of office on October 23, 2020 and has succeeded Mustafa Akıncı as the President of the TRNC.
He is married to Sibel Tatar and has two children, Cansu Ayten Tatar and Cansev Tatar.