The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe is set to dispatch a fact-finding mission to Turkey, responding to significant concerns regarding what has been termed “democratic backsliding.” This situation is exemplified by the extensive dismissal of elected mayors.
The international spotlight on this issue intensified following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 23, 2025. However, prior attention had already been directed toward the dismissal of nearly 150 elected mayors, many from opposition parties, since 2016. These mayors have often been replaced by trustees appointed by the government.
Political implications of İmamoğlu’s arrest
İmamoğlu’s arrest coincided with his party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), voting to nominate him as their presidential candidate. Marc Cools, the president of the Congress, remarked that this incident was “nothing to do with justice, and everything to do with politics.”
“We want to see an end to the removal of mayors, the dismissal of mayors and replacement by trustees. We don’t think that that’s fair or appropriate,” Bryony Rudkin, co-rapporteur for the Council of Europe on Turkey, stated.
Rudkin emphasized that the issue transcends legal matters, framing it as a fundamental democratic concern: “We want to see a restoration, really, of democratic rights and accountability for local authorities in Turkey.”
Concerns over democratic integrity
David Eray, another co-rapporteur, highlighted findings from a previous monitoring mission which identified several issues undermining the European Charter of Local Self-Government, to which Turkey is a signatory. He noted, “The main points were the dismissing of [mayors] and replacement by trustees, which is not fitting with what we expect in a democracy.”
Eray pointed out that the dismissals are not limited to a single political faction, noting that even İmamoğlu’s CHP is now affected. He added, “Now it’s also the party of Mr. İmamoğlu, the CHP… and we don’t feel comfortable with that.” The urgency of the Congress’s debate was heightened by İmamoğlu’s arrest, prompting them to organize discussions despite the Turkish authorities’ lack of feedback on prior recommendations.
During the recent debate, Congress members unanimously adopted a declaration urging Turkey to release all detained mayors and cease politically motivated prosecutions. The Congress condemned İmamoğlu’s imprisonment and criticized the revocation of his university diploma, a move seen as a blatant political maneuver. They cautioned that millions of Turkish citizens risk being governed by unelected officials, effectively silencing their democratic voices.
Looking ahead, both Rudkin and Eray outlined plans for their upcoming mission. “We will be going as soon as it’s practicable to see for ourselves, to speak to officials and to converse with whoever we can in terms of elected representatives,” Rudkin conveyed, emphasizing the importance of understanding the situation of detained mayors: “That [detention] is an incredibly harsh punishment for people who have done nothing other than be democratically elected.”
Eray confirmed the intent to conduct a fact-finding mission, stating, “We have the news, we have the information, but we need to see the facts.” As the situation unfolds, the Turkish government has yet to provide a response to queries regarding these developments. Meanwhile, Tahir Büyükakın, Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality and a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), criticized the Congress’s statements, asserting, “The law works in Turkey, the judicial process continues and we will not allow perceptions to be framed by operations distorting the truth.”