Democratic gaps in the metropolitan model and the search for decentralization

Türkiye’s Settlement Pattern and Population Dynamics (Article 15)

Aydın Tiryaki (2026)

The fundamental starting point of local governments is that services are provided by the units closest to the citizen and that the people have a say in decisions concerning their own living spaces. However, the equalization of metropolitan municipality borders with provincial administrative borders in Türkiye has created a “distance” problem in terms of representation. In this structure, where the entire provincial border is managed from a single center, the participation of citizens—especially those living in rural areas—in local politics and their capacity to convey their problems to decision-making mechanisms have weakened (1).

In this model, the most prominent representation problem is observed in the scale of voter will. The vote of a citizen living in a rural settlement far from the city center, which has its own unique economic and social dynamics, determines the management of a giant metropolis with which they do not have direct contact in their daily life. Furthermore, the vast majority of decisions taken in metropolitan municipal councils focus on urban areas, while the unique requirements of the rural periphery remain secondary within this intense agenda (2). This situation harms the principle of “participation,” which is the essence of decentralization, and carries the risk of reducing local democracy to just the ballot box.

The shrinking of the “muhtarlık” (village head) institution in terms of authority and budget within this new structure has caused the weakening of the most deep-rooted bridge between the citizen and the administration. With the transition of villages, which formerly had their own legal entities and budgets, to neighborhood status, neighborhood muhtars have regressed to being merely “requesters.” However, for genuine participation, it seems mandatory to transition to a structure where neighborhood units are directly included in decision-making processes, digital participation tools are effectively used, and local councils are strengthened (3).

In conclusion, to overcome the representation problem in Türkiye’s settlement architecture, the pressure of “centralized management” must be loosened. The “Rural Neighborhood” and “Urban Village” definitions we proposed in previous articles are not just administrative labels, but also democratic empowerment steps that will provide these units with their own budgets and decision-making bodies. Turning the citizen into a “participant” who shapes the future of the settlement, rather than just a “consumer” waiting for service, is the fundamental element that will increase the management quality of Türkiye (4).

Aydın Tiryaki Ankara, January 12, 2026

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All ideas, opinions, and suggestions in this article belong to the author. During the process of writing the text, the artificial intelligence Gemini was utilized for writing assistance and information compilation.

ANNEXES

Annex A: Symptoms of Weakening Representation in Local Governments

• Distance to Decision Mechanisms: Representatives of rural areas remaining a minority in metropolitan councils.
• Ineffectiveness of Neighborhood Councils: City councils and neighborhood units not being able to go beyond being advisory bodies.
• Muhtarlık Authorities: Muhtars lacking approval authority in local infrastructure projects.

Annex B: Solution Proposals to Increase Participation

• Rural Neighborhood Councils: Neighborhood residents having a direct say in the spending of a portion of the local budget.
• Digital Local Participation: Widespread use of mobile platforms where local projects can be submitted for public voting.
• Regional Service Units: Metropolitan municipalities transferring their powers to specific sub-regions to bring representation down to the local level.

REFERENCES

(1) Law No. 6360 on the Establishment of Metropolitan Municipalities and Critiques of Democratic Representation. https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr

(2) Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB), Participation and Democracy Report in Local Governments. https://www.tbb.gov.tr

(3) Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Interior, Analysis of the Muhtarlık Institution and Local Decision-Making Processes. https://www.icisleri.gov.tr

(4) General Directorate of Development Agencies, Local Governance and Sustainable Development Strategies. https://www.ka.gov.tr