Abstract
Central Government - Local Government Relations in Turkey Within the Framework of European Charter of Local Self-Government: Provincial Special Administration
The structure of the Turkish public administration and the central government-local
government relations within this structure have always been the subject of controversy
since the Ottoman era and the “Provincial Special Administration” has been in this
discussion area since its establishment. With the conditions of the country and the
influence of the social structure of that period, the relationship of the provincial special
administration with the central administration varied. While it was thought that this
institution was unnecessary in the years when it was necessary to have a strong central
government to protect the unity and integrity of the country, it was accepted that the
powers of this institution should be increased in our recent history when the European
Charter of Local Self-Government was adopted as a result of the local autonomy trend.
Turkey has generally accepted this charter, even though it has made reservations. In
this study, the “special provincial administration” was handled within the framework
of the general principles regarding the central-local relations specified in the European
Charter of Local Self-Government.
Keywords
Decentralization, Central Government, Local Governments, Provincial Special Administration, European
