Belediyesi

Belediyesi is the Turkish term for a municipality, the local government responsible for governing a city or town and delivering public services to residents and businesses. The belediye operates within the framework of national law and is led by an elected mayor (belediye başkanı), who serves as the executive head, and a municipal council (belediye meclisi), which acts as the legislative body. Depending on the province’s size, municipalities may be categorized as metropolitan municipalities (büyükşehir belediyeleri) that cover multiple districts within a province or district municipalities (ilçe belediyeleri) responsible for narrower areas.

Key functions include urban planning and zoning, building permits and inspections, water supply and sewerage, waste collection and management, local transportation and road maintenance, parks and recreation, housing, cultural and social services, and disaster preparedness and response. The belediye develops local budgets, collects service fees, and relies on transfers from the central government in addition to local taxes and charges. Public procurement, auditing, and accountability are overseen by relevant authorities; residents participate through elections held every five years.

Governance emphasizes municipal autonomy within national law, with the mayor and council accountable to voters. The concept of a belediyesi has historical roots in Ottoman municipalities and has evolved through republican and modern Turkish governance to focus on local service delivery, decentralization, and citizen participation.