The politics of recentralisation: local governance under Türkiye’s illiberal turn

Tan E., Özer I.

Urban Research and Practice, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/17535069.2025.2571856
  • Journal Name: Urban Research and Practice
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Political Science Complete
  • Keywords: democratic backsliding, illiberalism, local government, recentralisation, Turkey
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This article examines the Turkish central government’s illiberal recentralisation strategies after the 2019 local elections. It argues that recentralisation is a political project targeting opposition-led municipalities through judicial, media, and administrative means. Officially justified by national security and anti-corruption, these measures undermine local autonomy and political competition. Using the Local Autonomy Index (LAI), the study reveals declines in political discretion, institutional depth, policy scope, and fiscal independence. The findings show how state power is instrumentalised to delegitimise opposition governance, illustrating broader patterns of democratic erosion and authoritarian consolidation in Türkiye.