Municipal Politics In Turkey

There is a large and growing literature on Turkish politics in general, and the AKP in particular. However, local government and party organization, although very important topics, are strikingly understudied. This book compares local politics in two Central Anatolian cities, Konya and Eskişehir, ruled by different governmental parties, the AKP in Konya and the CHP in Eskişehir. It analyzes how national political parties adapt to local contexts (‘culture of everyday politics’) and how they seek to influence local culture (‘politics of everyday culture’). By examining how municipal politics is practiced on a daily basis, it illuminates more fundamental aspects of Turkish politics such as political mobilization, establishing links between voters and politicians, various practices of decision-making and the role of civil society. All of this has been critical for the AKP’s continuous electoral success since 2002. The findings are based on over 1.5 years of fieldwork in the two cities, as well as over 50 interviews with national and local political actors. The main fields of research are mayoral biographies, municipal practices, particularly with regard to welfare and service provision, the cooperation with other municipal actors as political parties or civil society organizations; urban planning activities and cultural policy. The study helps to comprehend more fundamental aspects of Turkish politics such as political mobilization, the establishing of links between voters, municipalities and parties as well as decision-making processes. Municipal Politics in Turkey fills a gap in existing literature by illuminating the fundamental aspects of Turkish politics, such as political mobilization, the establishing of links between voters, municipalities and parties as well as decision-making processes. It will be a valuable resource for students and scholars interested in Turkish Politics and political parties, municipal/local politics and comparative politics.

The last three decades in Turkey have seen an extensive shift towards a neoliberal agenda. Turkey has made many attempts at reforming existing governance systems in an effort to be accepted into the European Union, attracting the attention and curiosity of public management scholars worldwide. New Public Management in Turkey is the first book to analyze large-scale public administration reforms in Turkey according to the underlying principles of democracy, transparency, accountability, and localization. Systematically examining the literature on Turkish local government over a 25-year period, this book presents a comprehensive look at reform and its consequences through the lens of comparative public administration. The scholarly contributions to this volume from academics teaching at universities throughout Turkey offer a multi-dimensional and multi-functional analysis embracing a variety of viewpoints. Utilizing Turkey’s rapid adaptations to the changing trends in public management as a case study, this book will serve as a unique and valuable policy guide for politicians and legislators seeking to develop a democratic and localized governance structure in a variety of contexts.

1930 Municipality Election and 1946 General Election in Turkey were pretty similar, although there are 16 years behind them. In essence we can sum up two elections like this: One powerful Rulling Party( Republican People’s Party) against a promosing and suprisingly generally supported Opposition Party. In 1930 that Opposition was Free Republican Party which was founded by Ali Fethi (Okyar) Bey, an ex prime misinter, and had been supported by President Gazi Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk) Pasha himself. In parallel in 1946 that Opposition was Democrat Party which was founded by Celal Bayar, also an ex prime minister, which was somehow well received by President Ismet Inönü. Both of the Opposition Parties had put caos among Repuclican People’s Party’s elites and managers and supported by Turkish people passionately. That support suprised not only the leaders of the oppositon but also the well-respected and loved Presidents of said Eras. But why Turkish People supported new Opposition Parties against the mighty Rulling Party? Were people against the Turkish Revolution and Atatürk’s reforms or that support was simply about economic reasons? This study tried to answer that question: Why Turkish People quickly embraced new Oppositon Parties against the Atatürk and Inönü’s Party?

This book explores the “Turkish paradox” – women’s lower representation in local politics than in parliament. By analyzing life stories of 200 female municipal councilors and party representatives, it offers a comprehensive assessment of what makes local politics in Turkey particularly inaccessible to women. It places women’s pathways within the cycles of exclusion, starting by political socialization, going through the candidate recruitment process and continuing after the election. The research presented here brings together gender studies and political sociology and offers novel applications of concepts including intersectionality and biographical availability. It covers all major political parties and diverse local configurations in Turkey, and reveals political strategies of women in conservative parties as well as the reasons behind the exceptionally high representation of women within the pro-Kurdish political parties. The book further sheds some light on the intricate relationship between women’s political activity and regime change in the context of democratic backsliding.

The Turkish party system has undergone significant changes since the 1940s, moving from a two-party system to one encompassing nineteen parties - and resulting in a highly fragmented parliament. The contributors to this volume assess the intertwined effects of party fragmentation and voter volatility in Turkey. Presenting a wealth of data, they illuminate the trajectory of democratic consolidation, as well as underlying issues of representation, participation, and govern-ability.