The Turkish government, under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has once again appointed a trustee to a democratically elected municipality, continuing a controversial trend that many see as undermining local democracy. This time, the trustee was assigned to the Bahçesaray’s Municipality in the province of Van, raising the number of such appointments since the March 31 elections to eight.
A Nine-Year-Old Case Used as Justification
The latest intervention was justified by citing a nine-year-old legal case against Bahçesaray’s Co-Mayor, Ayvaz Hazır. Hazır was recently sentenced to 3 years and 11 months in prison in connection with this case. The government used this ruling as grounds to replace him with a trustee.
This move has raised questions about Turkey’s electoral process. When individuals run for mayoral positions, they must first receive approval from the Supreme Electoral Council. Candidates with ongoing legal cases are typically barred from running. However, Hazır was allowed to participate in the election, suggesting no legal impediments at the time of his candidacy.
A Pattern of Overriding Election Results
Since the local elections held on March 31, seven municipalities have already been subjected to trustee appointments. The addition of Bahçeşehir brings the total to eight. Critics argue that the government is systematically removing opposition mayors in areas where it failed to win elections, citing various legal pretexts to take control of municipalities.
Growing Concerns Over Democratic Erosion
This trend has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, civil society organizations, and international observers. Many view these trustee appointments as part of a broader effort by the Erdoğan administration to consolidate power and suppress dissent at the local level.
Turkey has increasingly been identified as a country where democratic norms are under significant threat. By bypassing election results and overriding local representation, it risks further damaging its international reputation.
As the number of trustee appointments continues to rise, so does the concern for the future of democracy in Turkey.