An updated list of Trustee Appointments to opposition municipalities

As of March 23, 2025, the Turkish government has appointed trustees to 13 municipalities since the March 31, 2024 local elections. Below is the updated list, including the latest appointment in Şişli Municipality:

Updated List of Trustee Appointments

1. Hakkari Municipality (June 3, 2024): DEM Party Mayor Mehmet Sıddık Akış was replaced by Hakkari Governor Ali Çelik.

2. Esenyurt District Municipality, Istanbul (October 31, 2024): CHP Mayor Ahmet Özer was replaced by Deputy Governor Can Aksoy.

3. Mardin Metropolitan Municipality (November 4, 2024): DEM Party Mayor Ahmet Türk was replaced by Governor Tuncay Akkoyun.

4. Batman Provincial Municipality (November 4, 2024): DEM Party Mayor Gülistan Sönük was replaced by Governor Ekrem Canalp.

5. Halfeti District Municipality, Şanlıurfa (November 4, 2024): DEM Party Mayor Mehmet Karayılan was replaced by District Governor Hakan Başoğlu.

6. Dersim (Tunceli) Municipality (November 22, 2024): DEM Party Co-Mayor Cevdet Konak was replaced by Governor Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu.

7. Ovacık District Municipality, Tunceli (November 22, 2024): CHP Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül was replaced by District Governor Hüseyin Şamil Sözen.

8. Bahçesaray Municipality, Van (November 29, 2024): DEM Party Co-Mayor Ayvaz Hazır was replaced following a court ruling.

9. Akdeniz Municipality, Mersin (January 14, 2025): DEM Party Co-Mayors Hoşyar Sarıyıldız and Nuriye Arslan were replaced after arrests.

10. Siirt Municipality (January 29, 2025): DEM Party Mayor was removed on terrorism-related charges.

11. Van Metropolitan Municipality (February 15, 2025): DEM Party Mayor was replaced with a government appointee.

12. Kağızman District Municipality, Kars (February 24, 2025): DEM Party Mayor Mehmet Alkan was replaced by District Governor Okan Daştan.

13. Şişli District Municipality, Istanbul (March 23, 2025): CHP Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan was removed on charges of “aiding an armed terrorist organization” and replaced by District Governor Cevdet Ertürkmen.

Summary

The majority of trustee appointments targeted municipalities governed by the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party. However, four appointments have now affected municipalities led by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), indicating a broader application of this practice beyond Kurdish-majority regions.

These interventions have been criticized by opposition parties and civil society organizations for undermining democratic principles and local governance rights.