Central-Local Relations and Transformation of Territorial Administration

Territorial administration in Turkey has been undergone an important transformation within the content of state reforms. This paper aims to discuss the argument asserting that central administration has been losing power in favor of the local administration. In this study, after a brief definition of territorial administration, the transformation experiences caused by various recent public policies were examined. Next, the role of territorial administration in the state was determined, and the changes in the authority, duties and responsibilities of the administration in areas like poverty, civil rights and civilization were covered. Furthermore, a detailed analysis was conducted about how policies strengthening local governments together with decentralisation, and how regionalisation practices have transformed the territorial administration. This analysis also tried to cover the current and future position of the territorial administration considering the range of these policies and practices.