19 districts likely to become provinces, says local media

ANKARA

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is gearing up to convert 19 districts into provinces based on the proposal put forth by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli during his recent group speech, local media has reported.

Preparatory work on the Local Administrations Law had been initiated by the AKP prior to the May 14 elections as the MHP’s written proposal for the creation of new provinces and districts was received positively.

However, as the elections drew closer, the work was put on hold.

The transformation of districts into provinces began in 1989 with the Central Anatolian city of Aksaray, and by 1999, the number of provinces had risen from 67 to 81.

The initial step in the process of establishing new provinces and districts will involve setting criteria. Eight criteria have been identified for a district to be granted provincial status, including a minimum population of 100,000 and a distance of at least 30 kilometers from the city center. Other factors such as current urbanization, transportation status, hinterland, economic diversity and educational status will also be considered.

While no specific districts have been announced yet, local media mentions around 25 districts across the country that have the potential to meet the established criteria.

If President and AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Bahçeli can synchronize their schedules and come to an agreement, the work on the proposal will be resumed.

The establishment of new provinces and districts, however, requires the enactment of a law by the parliament. It is not expected that the regulation will become law before the local elections scheduled for March 2024.

During the MHP’s recent group speech, Bahçeli expressed his vision for a strengthened Türkiye, stating, “It is possible to build and revive a Türkiye that has strengthened its power with its administrative structure consisting of 100 provinces and 1,000 districts.”