Trustee Appointments as an Instrument of Administrative Tutelage in The Relationship Between Central and Local Governments

In recent years, the appointment of trustees to municipal bodies within the scope of administrative tutelage authority in Turkey has sparked serious debates. This study examines the practice of appointing trustees to municipalities in Turkey from a critical perspective. In 2016, this practice gained momentum with the declaration of a state of emergency, and over time, it evolved from a temporary security measure into a permanent administrative tool. Drawing on the 1982 Constitution, Municipal Law No. 5393, and the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the analysis evaluates the legal basis, political consequences, and effects of trustee appointments on democratic governance. The frequency and duration of these practices, which are justified on anti-terrorism grounds, undermine the principles of local autonomy, democratic will, and representation. The article argues that trusteeship practices have become a structure that increases centralization and leads to a crisis of legitimacy in local governments, and proposes a redefinition of the concept of administrative tutelage in line with democratic principles.