Power without a Democratic Mandate: Trustees in Turkey

Since 2016, Ankara has systematically removed democratically elected mayors in cities like Mardin and Batman, replacing them with “trustees”, state-appointed officials who are deployed under the pretext of security concerns but are widely seen by critics as a means of maintaining political control.

Under their rule, the region remains trapped in a cycle of corruption and cronyism. Municipal debts have skyrocketed, corruption scandals abound, and local elites continue to benefit from lucrative construction projects and land deals. Meanwhile, work places, such as hospitals, are controlled by government loyalists or the state itself. As for the trustees? They eagerly seize their
share of the spoils.

Meanwhile, people are gradually losing touch with their Kurdish identity, while political opposition figures are imprisoned without evidence. With peace talks between the Turkish government and the PKK underway, the question remains: will the trustees disappear anytime soon? Residents hope so.