Türkiye: Working Group highlights local democracy, rule of law and political rights

Members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and representatives of local and regional administrations in Türkiye met in Ankara on 6 November to discuss local democracy, EU-Türkiye relations and the role of local authorities in tackling climate change.

The meeting came days ahead of UN climate talks, CoP31, in Antalya and shortly after the CoR called, together with other European institutions, for dialogue with the Turkish authorities over the detention of elected local representatives and restrictions on their ability to exercise their mandates.

The meeting of the CoR's Working Group on Türkiye was chaired by Jelena Drenjanin (SE/EPP), Member of the Municipal Council of Huddinge, Sweden. Opening remarks were also delivered by Ayşe Ünlüce, Interim President of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye and Mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality.

A political session examined recent developments in Türkiye and EU-Türkiye relations, two days after the publication of the annual Enlargement Package by the European Commission. Speakers included Murat Şen, Deputy Director-General for Relations with the EU at Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Filiz Ceritoğlu Sengel, Mayor of Selçuk and spokesperson of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions on local democracy; Isabel Wiseler-Lima (LU/EPP), Member of the European Parliament and shadow rapporteur on Türkiye; and Bryony Rudkin (UK/SOC/G/PD), co-rapporteur of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on local democracy in Türkiye.

CoR members reiterated their solidarity with imprisoned mayors and, in keeping with the European Parliament, the Congress, and opposition mayors, highlighted that the Turkish government's dismissal of mayors and prolonged pre-trial detention of local representatives are incompatible with Türkiye's commitments as an EU candidate country. CoR members also reiterated their readiness to continue a frank and open dialogue with Turkish partners on this issue.

A thematic session focused on empowering local authorities through climate finance and multilevel governance ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), which will take place in Antalya from 9-20 November. The perspective of local and regional administrations in Türkiye was principally provided by Mehmet Can Hallaç, Mayor of Kahta, and Ahmet Ataç, Mayor of Tepebaşı, with Joško Klisović (HR/PES) offering a perspective from EU regions and cities. Local representatives converged in highlighting the issue of multi-level governance, access to climate finance at the local level, and capacity support for local and regional authorities as the key expectations from COP31.

The meeting followed a visit to Türkiye by a delegation of rapporteurs from the CoR, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. The delegation included Jelena Drenjanin, Nacho Sánchez Amor, the European Parliament's Standing Rapporteur on Türkiye, and Bryony Rudkin and Marc Cools, co-rapporteurs on local democracy in Türkiye at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

In a joint statement, the delegation expressed regret that it had been denied access to local elected representatives held in prolonged pre-trial detention, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul and President of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, and laureate of the Mayor Pawel Adamowicz Award. The delegation observed his court hearing on 3 November and called for the early resumption of dialogue with the Turkish authorities on the detention of elected representatives and the appointment of trustees when they are prevented from exercising their mandates. The delegation also met Nuri Aslan, Acting Mayor of Istanbul, to discuss local democracy and local self-government.

In its latest review of progress on reforms necessary to become an EU member, the European Commission on 4 November noted that legal actions brought against elected officials, opposition figures and civil society have intensified, raising growing concerns about Türkiye's adherence to core democratic principles.

The debates at the CoR Working Group on Türkiye will feed directly into an upcoming CoR opinion on the Enlargement Package.

The Working Group brings together local and regional representatives to follow developments in local democracy and EU-Türkiye relations and to support dialogue and cooperation between Turkish and European local and regional authorities.

More information:

• Meeting documentation: Agenda and photos.
• Statement by rapporteurs of the European Committee of the Regions, the European Parliament, and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe: 'Türkiye: Growing concerns about the pre-trial detention of local elected representatives', issued on 4 November 2026.
• European Commission Enlargement Package 2026: Report and factsheet on Türkiye.