resolution motion, 10 February 2025
On the recent dismissals and arrests of mayors in Türkiye
Motion B-10-2025-0121 · (2025/2546(RSP))
on behalf of the PPE Group · Rapporteur: Sebastião Bugalho, Vangelis Meimarakis, Željana Zovko, Wouter Beke, Antonio LópezIstúriz White, Isabel WiselerLima, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Tomáš Zdechovský, Mirosława Nykiel, Jessica Polfjärd, Luděk Niedermayer, Jan Farský, Inese Vaidere
AI:In short
A European Parliament resolution condemning the dismissal and arrest of elected mayors in Türkiye and their replacement by government-appointed trustees, calling for their release and reinstatement, and urging judicial and policy reforms. It also urges Türkiye to stop misusing counterterrorism laws against opposition figures and to align with European human rights standards, while reaffirming EU support for democracy in the country.
Key points
- Condemns the arbitrary dismissal and imprisonment of democratically elected mayors and their replacement by unelected trustees, which violates democratic principles and disenfranchises voters.
- Calls for the immediate release of imprisoned mayors and reinstatement of all dismissed mayors unless credible, court-verified evidence of wrongdoing exists.
- Urges Türkiye to stop the politically motivated misuse of counterterrorism laws against opposition politicians, human rights defenders, and journalists, naming Sener Levent and Ali Kismir.
- Expresses deep concern over the impact on local governance, especially in Kurdish-majority areas.
- Calls for judicial reforms to restore independence, ensure fair trial rights, and prevent political interference in legal proceedings.
- Urges Türkiye to align with the European Convention on Human Rights and fully implement all European Court of Human Rights rulings, including on political imprisonment.
- Reaffirms EU commitment to democracy, human rights, and rule of law in Türkiye, and calls on EU institutions and member states to monitor and take diplomatic measures.
Who is affected
- Democratically elected mayors in Türkiye, especially those from the DEM Party and CHP, who face dismissal and arrest.
- Voters in affected municipalities, particularly in Kurdish-majority areas, who are disenfranchised by trustee appointments.
- Opposition politicians, human rights defenders, and journalists in Türkiye targeted by counterterrorism laws.
Figures and deadlines
Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
Full text
Text 23 paragraphs
B100212/2025
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the recent dismissals and arrests of mayors in Türkiye
(2025/2546(RSP))
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Türkiye,
– having regard to the recommendations of the Venice Commission and Türkiye’s commitment to the European Charter of Local Self-Government,
– having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR),
– having regard to Rules 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
whereas Türkiye is expected, as a candidate country, to uphold the highest standards of democracy, including respect for human rights, the rule of law, credible elections, fundamental freedoms, and the universal right to a fair trial and the accession process is stalled since 2018 due to the continued deterioration of these;
whereas Türkiye has systematically misused counterterrorism laws to target elected officials, opposition politicians, and human rights defenders, as noted by the UN Special Rapporteur and the Venice Commission;
whereas Türkiye’s longstanding practice of replacing democratically elected mayors with government-appointed trustees instead of a member of the municipal council is rooted in discriminatory anti-Kurdish policies and has severely undermined local democracy;
whereas since the 2024 local elections, the Interior Ministry has dismissed eight mayors from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party and two from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), replacing them with Ankara-appointed provincial and district governors;
Read the rest (11 paragraphs)
whereas several of these mayors, including DEM mayors Mehmet Sıddık Akış (Hakkari) and Abdullah Zeydan (Van), as well as CHP mayor Hasan Akgün (Büyükçekmece), have been arrested based on vague and unsubstantiated terrorism-related allegations;
whereas this practice is enabled by legal amendments introduced via emergency decree in 2016, which allow mayors to be removed without a final court conviction;
whereas state-appointed trustee mayors in the southeast region have previously engaged in policies that erase Kurdish cultural identity;
Condemns the arbitrary dismissal and imprisonment of democratically elected mayors and their replacement by unelected government trustees, a practice that violates democratic principles and disenfranchises millions of voters;
Calls for the immediate release of imprisoned mayors, and for the reinstatement of all dismissed mayors unless there is credible, court-verified evidence of wrongdoing, in line with international legal standards;
Urges Türkiye to cease the politically motivated misuse of counterterrorism laws against opposition politicians, human rights defenders, and journalists, including Sener Levent and Ali Kismir;
Expresses deep concern over the impact of these actions on local governance, particularly in Kurdish-majority areas;
Calls for judicial reforms to restore the independence of the judiciary, ensure fair trial rights, and prevent political interference in legal proceedings;
Urges Türkiye to align its policies with the ECHR and fully implement all ECtHR rulings, in line with Article 46, including cases involving political imprisonment;
Reaffirms the EU’s commitment to supporting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Türkiye, and calls on EU institutions and Member States to closely monitor the situation and take necessary diplomatic measures;
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, and the Turkish authorities.