Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has condemned the Turkish government’s dismissal of Van (Wan) Mayor Abdullah Zeydan and his replacement by a government-appointed trustee, warning that the move undermines democratic principles.
“The recent dismissal of Abdullah Zeydan is a matter of grave concern. It cannot be ignored. This newest move against him is the last link in a chain of deliberate and calculated delegitimisation. Sadly, it is also part of a wider and undemocratic pattern,” David Eray and Bryony Rudkin, Rapporteurs of the Congress on local democracy in Turkey, said in an official statement on Monday.
“The specific practice of replacing democratically elected opposition party mayors with trustees is undermining the very nature of democracy,” the rapporteurs stressed.
In 2016, Zeydan was imprisoned on charges widely considered politically motivated and subjected to a ban on political engagement. His rights were reinstated following his release in 2022, allowing him to participate in the 2024 local elections. The Turkish Justice Ministry challenged his candidacy, but the Supreme Election Council (YSK) reinstated their decision. His recent dismissal as mayor has raised further alarm among European observers.
Ten opposition mayors have been dismissed since Turkey’s 2024 local elections, disregarding the will of four million voters, the rapporteurs noted, with many others also facing judicial proceedings, defamation lawsuits and long prison sentences.
These interventions have drawn significant international criticism, including the European Parliament’s call for sanctions against Turkish officials responsible for undermining local democracy.
EMBED: Since the March 2024 local elections, Turkish authorities have deposed nine mayors over terrorism-related allegations, including seven from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) and two from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). Another CHP mayor was arrested on charges of manipulating public tenders. All 10 mayors have been removed from their positions and replaced by government-appointed trustees.
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The statement also referred to Recommendation 519 (2024), adopted at the last session of the Congress, urging Turkish authorities to halt the practice of replacing elected mayors with trustees. The Congress reaffirmed that ineligibility should be determined before elections on the basis of final criminal convictions and that, in the event of dismissal, municipal councils should have the power to elect a successor.
The Congress and the Venice Commission have previously warned that the trustee policy, particularly affecting Kurdish-majority municipalities, violates the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which Turkey is legally bound to uphold.
The issue will be discussed at the Parliamentary Assembly’s Monitoring Committee meeting on 25 February in Strasbourg, where Turkish representatives are expected to respond to the concerns raised.
The rapporteurs reiterated their call on the Turkish authorities to “stop this practice and resume political dialogue” in order to ensure respect for democratic norms.
