Disempowerment and attempts of self-empowerment: the case of Istanbul municipality

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003404736-12

This chapter examines the conflict between the central government and the megacity of Istanbul following the election victory of opposition candidate Imamoglu for the mayor’s office of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in June 2019. Through the lens of “disempowerment” and “self-empowerment” as framed by constitutional law scholar Ran Hirschl, the chapter first focuses on the central government’s authoritarian interventionist strategies, which include the confiscation of municipal assets, the transfer of authority, and changes in the composition of institutions, and then examines strategic self-empowerment attempts, such as joining international city networks, seeking international financial support, and adopting a human rights city approach.