Technical University of Dortmund
Department of Regional Planning
Political System and Public Administration in Turkey
Administrative Structure in Turkey
Fundamentals of Public Administration in Turkey
- Integral Unity and The Public Legal Personality of the Administration
- The Principle of Central Administration
- The Principle of Decentralization
- The Principle of Delegation of Wider Powers (deconcentration); are the main principles of administration found in the 1982 constitution of the Republic of Turkey
Integral Unity and the Public Legal Personality of the Administration
- Administration is an aggregate that runs the state machinery.
- The 1982 constitution frames this principle in the following form: ‘the administration forms a whole with regard to its structure and functions, and shall be regulated by law’ (Article 123)
- This principle aims at unity and integrety of public organization.
- With this purpose in mind and within the legal framework, local administrations are under the tutelage of the central govenrment (Article 127)
The Principle of Central Administration
- Encompasses centralization and provision of public services through certain hierarchical structures.
- ‘central’ is the execution of and decision on public services mainly from the capital.
- Also called ‘general administration’
- It makes up the main administrative structure of the state
- Includes the President, Prime Ministry, Ministries and so on
- Provincial branches act in the name of the central administration
The Principle of Decentralization
The Principle of Delegation of Wider Powers (Deconcentration)
- Describes the provision of some public services by public corporate entities outside the realms of central government.
- It asserts that certain needs of local people can be met by establishments that have decision making agencies approved by the electorate are autonomous to a certain extent from the central government, sustain their budgets from own source revenues and have legal personalities
- They can be divided in to two groups: local administrations (geography based) and public institutions(service based).
- Local administrations in Turkey are special provincial administrations, municipalities and villages
- Public institutions are universities, state economic enterprises, Turkish Radio and Television Administration.
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- This principle authorizes governors and senior officials of the provincial branches of central administration to take and implement decisions on certain issues. The officials of the provincial branches exercise this authority in line with the imperatives and instructions of the central administration (article 126)
- Turkey is divided into geographic regions called provinces. These are governed by governors that represent the central government. They use their administrative authority on the behalf of the central government. This is exclusive to governors
Basic Characteristics and Problems
of Turkish Public Administration
- As a system, Turkish Public Administration is called ‘administrative regime’ or ‘administrative system’ which is characterized by one sided decisions, the application of public law and administrative adjudication
- The distribution of tasks between central, provincial and local administrations in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and democracy in services has not been successful to date. The result is a bulky structure and red tape bureaucracy.
- Turkish public administration has a rigorously centralized structure in terms of functions.
- Another problem within Turkish public administration is secrecy an closeness.
- Lack of participation in administration and participation of females in the political system (only 8.7 percent in the Parliament)
- There are new institutions emerging as a result of current developments in order to take quick and effective red tape free decisions on important issues
Administrative Structure of Turkey
Relations with Other development Agents
Obstacles of Turkey
Development
The Lack of a Competitive Edge: Turkey’s competitiveness – its ability to compete in a global market place – is hampered by high costs and low productivity.
Turkey’s development cooperation remains highly decentralized, with multiple government agencies and ministries involved. In 2011 TIKA directly allocated and managed only US$150 million out of an ODA budget of US$1.2 billion. Other government bodies involved include the Disaster and Emergency Situation Management Agency, the Housing Development Administration, the Turkish Armed Forces General Staff, the Turkish Sugar Factories, the Turkish National Policy Directorate, the Undersecretary of the Treasury, and the Ministry of Education. The Disaster and Emergency Situation Management Agency implements the largest share of Turkey’s ODA.
A Persistent Current Account Deficit: Political tensions lead to an increase in the oil price which would put more pressure on the deficit – because Turkey is reliant on imported energy. Added to which, beneath this headline figure, there lies the real problem – a reliance on short-term capital to finance the current account. These short term flows are easily reversed, which leaves Turkey vulnerable to investor sentiment.
Political Uncertainty: Political instability is the third challenge and has both domestic and international aspects. The country is divided politically: the ruling AKP has battled major corruption scandals and riots in recent years and has been seen to become increasingly authoritarian. Added to which, Turkey also faces problems outside of its borders in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.
Turkey’s ODA is organized around several operational
principles:
• supporting sustainable social and economic
development in partner countries;
• addressing global issues, including alignment
with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
• contributing to governance structures
compatible with poverty reduction, human
security, equality and participatory development;
• aligning with the development
priorities of partner countries;
• cooperating and coordinating with the
donor community for synergies; and
• adhering to common principles
of aid effectiveness
A Labour Market Unfit for Purpose: The fifth challenge is the labour market. At 68.1%, Turkey has a large population of working age, but a low proportion are economically active – 51.3% in 2013. This is due to low female participatio
Institutions with characteristics of the Independent Administrative Authority
- The Radio and TV Supreme Board
- The Capital Markets Board of Turkey
- The Competition Agency
- The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency
- The Telecommunication agency
- The Electricity Market Regulatory Authority
- The Sugar Agency
- The Tobacco, Tobacco Products and Alcohol Markets Regulatory Authority
- The Public Procurement Authority
Central Administration
- Is also called ‘general administration’
- Is organized to provide country wide services; this capital administration organizes local branches in provinces and districts.
The President of the Republic
Capital Administration
- Is composed of the President, Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers, Ministries and other adjunct institutions and Organizations
- The president is the Head of the state. He or she represents the Republic of Turkey and the unity of the Turkish nation.He or she ensure the implementation of the constitution and regulates the harmonious functioning of the state organs (article 104)
- With the new amendment of the constitution the president is directly elected by the electorate of the republic of Turkey
- The president has several duties and powers defined in Article 104
- The president has no political accountability
- The president also does not have legal responsibility for his or her duty related acts and operations (exception for high treason)
Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
- The council of ministers, Including the Prime Minister and other ministers, is the politically accountable organ of the executive
- The council determines and implements general policies of the government and public administration and does this with collective responsibility
- The Prime Minister is the head of the council of ministers
- The Prime Minister is appointed by the president from among the members of the TGNA
- The Ministers are nominated by the Prime Minister and appointed by the President
- The council of ministers issues regulations governing the mode of implementation of laws provided that they do not conflict with existing laws and are examined by the Council of State
- The Ministries are the units of the central administration
- The ministries have political, criminal and legal liabilities. The ministers, collectively and individually, are politically accountable to the TGNA and therefore can be tried by the Constitutional Court on the account of any crime relate to their duty
- The central organization of the ministry is composed of ‘main service units’ ‘advisory and inspection units’ and ‘adjunct units’
- The hierarchical structure of the central administration is as follows: The Undersecretariat, General Directorate, Council Chairmanship, Department Chairmanship, Chieftainship
- Local branches of ministries are composed of provincial organizations attached to governors and district organizations attached to the district governors (kaimakams)
- The foreign representation offices are composed of consulates and diplomatic missions of foreign representation character adn foreign organizations with no foreign representation character
Local Branches of Central Administration in Provinces and Districts
Adjunct Agencies of the Central Administration
- Can be categorized as followed:
- Regional Organizations
- Provincial Organizations
- District Administrations
- Sub-District Administrations
- These agencies advise the center, to inspect, or provide coordination
- Some of them are: the Council of State, the Audit court, National Security Council and the State Planning Organization
Prepared by Hazal Bingöl O