Metropolitan Municipal Councils in the 100th Anniversary of the Republic: Balance Sheet Before 2024 Local Elections

Tolgahan Aydıner

Article Details

Metropolitan Municipal Councils in the 100th Anniversary of the Republic: Balance Sheet Before 2024 Local Elections

Authors:

Tolgahan Aydıner

Publisher:

Gaziantep University

Main Topics:

Siyaset Bilimi (Diğer)

Journal:

Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue Cumhuriyet'in 100. Yılı, pp.478-499

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001303202

pISSN:

1303-0094

Keywords:

Abstract:

 In this study, the current situation of metropolitan municipal councils will be analyzed as we reach the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey. In Turkey, the governance of metropolitan urban areas occupies an important place in local government literature. Since 1984, the metropolitan governance model has been de facto in practice and has increased its geographical scale with the reforms introduced in 2004 and 2012. These developments also affected the metropolitan municipal councils, which are the decision-making bodies of metropolitan municipalities. Indeed, many processes that diminish the functioning of local democracy in Turkey become more complicated in metropolitan municipal councils. Especially in recent years, the increasing political power of metropolitan mayors in national politics and the metropolitan municipalities that have become the basic authority on the borders of the city with Law No. 6360 have evolved the current strong mayor - weak council relationship to a new dimension; as central government actors intervene more in urban planning processes, the position of metropolitan municipalities, which have broad powers regarding spatial planning, becomes even more complicated. Considering that the majority of the countrys population lives in metropolitan cities, an in-depth analysis of these debates is crucial for local government debates as the beginning second century of the Republic before the 2024 local elections. The study consists of three main sections after the introduction. The first section deals with the transformation of metropolitan municipalities in the historical context. The second section analyzes the basic structure and the main handicaps of metropolitan municipal councils. In the third part, some solution proposals for strengthening metropolitan municipal councils are discussed. Books, book chapters, articles, project raports and news in the mass media on representation and decision-making processes in metropolitan municipal councils are the main data source of the study that is used qualitative method.

 In this study, the current situation of metropolitan municipal councils will be analyzed as we reach the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey. In Turkey, the governance of metropolitan urban areas occupies an important place in local government literature. Since 1984, the metropolitan governance model has been de facto in practice and has increased its geographical scale with the reforms introduced in 2004 and 2012. These developments also affected the metropolitan municipal councils, which are the decision-making bodies of metropolitan municipalities. Indeed, many processes that diminish the functioning of local democracy in Turkey become more complicated in metropolitan municipal councils. Especially in recent years, the increasing political power of metropolitan mayors in national politics and the metropolitan municipalities that have become the basic authority on the borders of the city with Law No. 6360 have evolved the current strong mayor - weak council relationship to a new dimension; as central government actors intervene more in urban planning processes, the position of metropolitan municipalities, which have broad powers regarding spatial planning, becomes even more complicated. Considering that the majority of the countrys population lives in metropolitan cities, an in-depth analysis of these debates is crucial for local government debates as the beginning second century of the Republic before the 2024 local elections. The study consists of three main sections after the introduction. The first section deals with the transformation of metropolitan municipalities in the historical context. The second section analyzes the basic structure and the main handicaps of metropolitan municipal councils. In the third part, some solution proposals for strengthening metropolitan municipal councils are discussed. Books, book chapters, articles, project raports and news in the mass media on representation and decision-making processes in metropolitan municipal councils are the main data source of the study that is used qualitative method.

 In this study, the current situation of metropolitan municipal councils will be analyzed as we reach the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey. In Turkey, the governance of metropolitan urban areas occupies an important place in local government literature. Since 1984, the metropolitan governance model has been de facto in practice and has increased its geographical scale with the reforms introduced in 2004 and 2012. These developments also affected the metropolitan municipal councils, which are the decision-making bodies of metropolitan municipalities. Indeed, many processes that diminish the functioning of local democracy in Turkey become more complicated in metropolitan municipal councils. Especially in recent years, the increasing political power of metropolitan mayors in national politics and the metropolitan municipalities that have become the basic authority on the borders of the city with Law No. 6360 have evolved the current strong mayor - weak council relationship to a new dimension; as central government actors intervene more in urban planning processes, the position of metropolitan municipalities, which have broad powers regarding spatial planning, becomes even more complicated. Considering that the majority of the countrys population lives in metropolitan cities, an in-depth analysis of these debates is crucial for local government debates as the beginning second century of the Republic before the 2024 local elections. The study consists of three main sections after the introduction. The first section deals with the transformation of metropolitan municipalities in the historical context. The second section analyzes the basic structure and the main handicaps of metropolitan municipal councils. In the third part, some solution proposals for strengthening metropolitan municipal councils are discussed. Books, book chapters, articles, project raports and news in the mass media on representation and decision-making processes in metropolitan municipal councils are the main data source of the study that is used qualitative method.

 Bu çalışmada, Cumhuriyetin 100. yılına ulaştığımız bu süreçte, büyükşehir belediye meclislerinin mevcut durumu incelenecektir. Türkiyede büyük kentlerin yönetimi, yerel yönetim tartışmaları içerisinde önemli bir yer tutmaktadır. 1984 yılından bu yana fiilen uygulanan büyükşehir modelinin, 2004 ve 2012 yıllarındaki yasal düzenlemelerle, coğrafi ölçeği genişlemiştir. Bu gelişmeler, büyükşehir belediyelerinin karar organı olan büyükşehir belediye meclislerini de etkilemektedir. Zira Türkiyede yerel demokrasinin işlevini azaltan birçok süreç, büyükşehir belediye meclislerinde daha çetrefilli bir hâl almaktadır. Özellikle son yıllarda, büyükşehir belediye başkanlarının ulusal siyasette daha da güçlü figürler hâline gelmeleri ve 6360 sayılı yasa ile mülki sınırda tek yetkili halen gelen büyükşehir belediyeleri, halihazırdaki güçlü başkan -zayıf meclis ilişkisini dönüştürmüş; merkezî yönetimin aktörlerinin kentsel planlama süreçlerine daha fazla müdahale etmesiyle, mekânsal planlama konusunda oldukça geniş yetkileri bulunan büyükşehir belediyelerinin konumu daha da karmaşıklaşmıştır. Ülke nüfusunun büyük bir çoğunluğunun büyükşehir statüsündeki kentlerde yaşadığı hesaba katıldığında, bu tartışmaları kapsamlı biçimde gündeme getirebilmek, Cumhuriyetin ikinci yüzyılının başlangıcında ve 2024 Mahalli İdareler Genel Seçimleri öncesi süreçte, yerel yönetim tartışmaları için hayli önem taşımaktadır. Çalışma girişten sonra üç temel bölümden oluşmaktadır. İlk bölümde, büyükşehir belediyelerinin tarihsel bağlamda dönüşümü ele alınmıştır. İkinci bölümde, büyükşehir belediye meclislerinin temel yapısıişleyişi ve büyükşehir belediye meclislerinde ortaya çıkan temel handikaplar analiz edilmiştir. Üçüncü bölümde, büyükşehir belediye meclislerinin güçlendirilmesine yönelik birtakım çözüm önerileri sunulmuştur. Büyükşehir belediye meclislerindeki temsil ve karar alma süreçlerini ele alan kitap, kitap bölümü, makale, proje raporu ve ulusal medyada yer alan haberler, nitel analiz yönteminin kullanıldığı çalışmanın temel veri kaynağını oluşturmaktadır.

Article Details

Metropolitan Municipal Councils in the 100th Anniversary of the Republic: Balance Sheet Before 2024 Local Elections

Authors:

Tolgahan Aydıner

Publisher:

Gaziantep University

Main Topics:

Siyaset Bilimi (Diğer)

Journal:

Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue Cumhuriyet'in 100. Yılı, pp.478-499

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001303202

pISSN:

1303-0094

Metropolitan Municipality

Metropolitan Municipal Councils

Strong Mayor - Weak Council

Representation

Decision MakingBüyükşehir Belediye

Büyükşehir Belediye Meclisi

Güçlü Başkan - Zayıf Meclis

Temsil

Karar Alma

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Tolgahan Aydıner

Publisher: Gaziantep University

Main Topics: Siyaset Bilimi (Diğer)

Journal: Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue Cumhuriyet'in 100. Yılı, pp.478-499

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 10/2023

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001303202

pISSN: 1303-0094

Issues

Authors:

Tolgahan Aydıner

Publisher:

Gaziantep University

Main Topics:

Siyaset Bilimi (Diğer)

Journal:

Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue Cumhuriyet'in 100. Yılı, pp.478-499

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001303202

pISSN:

1303-0094