Report: Local democracy in Turkey effectively suspended

According to the Union of Municipal and Local Administration Employees (TÜM-BEL-SEN), local democracy in Turkey has effectively been suspended. In a report marking the second anniversary of the municipal elections of March 31, 2024, the organization documents extensive interventions in municipalities governed by the opposition.

According to the report, state measures such as the appointment of trustees, the dismissal of elected mayors, legal proceedings, and financial restrictions have led to a systematic weakening of municipal self-governance. The union describes this development as a move toward an “anti-labor and anti-democratic regime.”

Municipalities under the control of opposition parties are particularly affected by the measures. According to the report, millions of votes have been rendered ineffective. “44.4 percent of the CHP’s votes and 27.7 percent of the DEM Party’s votes have effectively been made meaningless.” Since the elections, the administration in 85 municipalities has been altered. “More than 8.8 million votes have been rendered without effect, corresponding to 20.55 percent of all votes cast,” the report states. As a result, millions of voters have effectively lost their political influence.

The interventions have not been limited to the appointment of trustees and the dismissal of mayors. The removal of other elected officials, political interference in municipal councils, and party defections have also shifted political control in numerous cities, including Istanbul, Van, Mardin, Adana, and Antalya.

At the same time, there have been extensive interventions in the employment conditions of municipal workers. According to the report, 1,342 employees have been dismissed, and 837 of them have not yet been able to return to their positions. In addition, around 3,200 employees have suffered significant income losses due to the cancellation of collective agreements. The report thus portrays a comprehensive political and social restructuring at the local level that goes far beyond individual measures and affects fundamental democratic principles.