Council of Europe Deploys Mission to Turkey as Democracy Wanes
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe plans to dispatch a fact-finding delegation to Turkey due to concerns about "a decline in democratic standards," which includes the removal of numerous elected mayors.
Though the incident gained global notice following the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Ä°mamoÄŸlu on March 23, 2025, the Council of Europe was set to discuss the matter last week due to nearly 150 elected mayors—mostly from opposing political factions—who were removed from office since 2016. These positions were frequently taken over by administrators appointed directly by the government.
ImamoÄŸlu was detained right when his party, the CHP, was voting to choose him as their presidential candidate. This action was characterized by Marc Cools, the Congress president, as “having nothing to do with justice and everything to do with politics.”
"We aim to put a stop to the ousting of mayors, their dismissal, and being replaced with trustees. We believe this practice is neither just nor suitable," stated Bryony Rudkin, one of the Congress’s co-rapporteurs for the CoE regarding Türkiye, during her conversation with Euronews.
She stated that the problem was not about legality but rather at its core a democratic matter: "What we truly seek is the reinstatement of democratic rights and transparency for local administrations in Turkey."
David Eray, the other CoE co-rapporteur, highlighted that during a prior monitoring mission, various critical problems were uncovered that conflicted with the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which Türkiye has ratified. "The primary concerns included the removal of mayors and their substitution with trustees—a practice inconsistent with our democratic expectations," stated Eray.
He mentioned that the issue wasn't limited to just one political faction: "It now involves Mr. Ä°mamoÄŸlu's party, the CHP... and this makes us uneasy."
Eray and Rudkin stated that the Congress’s discussion had been scheduled prior to Ä°mamoÄŸlu’s detention, intensifying the sense of urgency. "We didn’t receive any response from the Turkish authorities regarding our suggestions, and observing that several mayors were removed from office, we suggested to the bureau that they should arrange a specific debate," explained Eray. Additionally, Rudkin characterized the scenario as indicative of "a retreat from democracy similar to what we’d observe elsewhere in Europe."
Last week, during the congressional debate, lawmakers approved a statement urging Türkiye to free all imprisoned mayors and cease politically driven prosecutions. The congress expressed strong disapproval over Ä°mamoÄŸlu’s incarceration and denounced the annulment of his university degree—which is essential for presidential candidacy—as an evident political maneuver. Additionally, they cautioned that millions of Turkish citizens might end up under the rule of non-elected individuals, leading to their voices being essentially muted from the democratic process.
Moving forward, both co-rapporteurs presented their upcoming actions to Euronews. "As soon as possible, we will visit personally, talk with officials, and converse with any elected representatives who are available," stated Bryony Rudkin.
She stated that their attention would encompass the welfare of incarcerated mayors: "Imprisonment is an extremely severe penalty for individuals who have merely been chosen through democratic processes."
Eray similarly verified intentions for a fact-finding mission, indicating their desire to comprehend "the process, as we possess the reports and data, yet require witnessing the actual evidence."
The Turkish government did not reply to requests for comments. During the meeting, Tahir Büyükakın, the Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality and a member of Turkey’s governing Justice and Development Party (AKP), criticized the statement, stating, "In Turkey, the law functions properly; legal proceedings continue, and we won’t permit operations that distort reality from shaping public perception."