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Recent dismissals and arrests of mayors in Türkiye

TA-10-2025-0016 · P10_TA(2025)0016 · PE769.124

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

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The European Parliament condemns the dismissal and imprisonment of elected mayors in Türkiye and their replacement by government trustees, calling for their release and reinstatement. It urges judicial reforms to abolish the trustee system, align with ECHR standards, and resume the Kurdish peace process. It recalls that EU financial assistance is conditional on rule of law and fundamental rights, and calls for monitoring and possible sanctions against Turkish officials.

Key points

  1. Condemns the arbitrary dismissal and imprisonment of democratically elected mayors and their replacement by unelected trustees, which violates democratic principles and disenfranchises voters.
  2. Calls for the immediate release, acquittal and reinstatement of all elected mayors unless there is credible, court-verified evidence of wrongdoing.
  3. Expresses deep concern over the impact on local governance, particularly in Kurdish-majority areas, and underlines the need to resume the Kurdish peace process.
  4. Calls for judicial reforms to abolish the trustee system and restore the independence of the judiciary.
  5. Urges Türkiye to align its policies with the ECHR and fully implement all ECtHR rulings, including in cases involving political imprisonment.
  6. Recalls that financial assistance under IPA III and NDICI is conditional on respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights, and that sufficient funding should go to civil society.
  7. Calls on the EU to monitor the situation and take diplomatic measures, and on the VP/HR to consider imposing restrictive measures under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Turkish officials involved.

Who is affected

  • Elected mayors in Türkiye, especially from the DEM Party and CHP, who face dismissal and arrest.
  • Turkish authorities, including the interior ministry and officials appointing trustees, who may face EU sanctions.
  • Civil society in Türkiye, which should receive sufficient funding.

Figures and deadlines

  • Eight mayors from the DEM Party and two from the CHP dismissed since the 2024 local elections.