Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party MP Sırrı Sakık has questioned the possibility of peace in Turkey while the government continues to replace elected Kurdish mayors with state-appointed trustees. His comments come amid ongoing debate after Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli placed the issue of peace on the political agenda, though the Turkish government has yet to officially acknowledge such a process.
Speaking in parliament, Sakık condemned the recent dismissal of Van (Wan) Mayor Abdullah Zeydan, arguing that the government’s actions contradict any talk of peace.
“You claim to create a climate of peace, yet you remove elected Kurdish representatives, criminalise them, and appoint trustees in their place,” he said. “How can peace be achieved in these conditions?”
Sakık accused the government of systematically dismantling local democracy, stating that “sovereignty does not belong to the people” as claimed, but remains in the hands of a few.
“There is a parliament, but it has no will. There are local administrations, but they have no authority. You pass laws as you wish and seize control as you please,” he added.
His remarks come as the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities strongly condemned Turkey’s removal of Zeydan and warned that replacing elected officials with government appointees erodes democratic norms. European officials have called on Turkey to end this practice and respect democratic governance.
Since the 2024 local elections, Turkish authorities have dismissed 10 opposition mayors, mostly from the DEM Party, often citing terrorism-related allegations. Critics argue that these charges are politically motivated and part of a broader strategy to suppress Kurdish political representation.
The issue is expected to be discussed at the Parliamentary Assembly’s Monitoring Committee meeting on 25 February in Strasbourg, where Turkish representatives will be urged to respond to international concerns over the policy.
