The protest of 223 municipal workers dismissed by a government-appointed trustee in Turkey’s eastern Van province continued on Thursday, with support from civil society organizations, political parties and local residents, the Evrensel news website reported.
The workers marched to the provincial branch of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), chanting slogans against the government’s trustee policies.
A statement delivered by Vefa Yıldız on behalf of the group condemned the dismissals, stressing that “the government-appointed trustees have not only disregarded the will of the people but have also trampled on the sweat and toil of the workers.” He emphasized that the violation of labor rights in Van reflects a broader national issue.
The demonstration concluded with a five-minute sit-in.
The workers were dismissed on July 29, based on alleged “negative archive records,” a vague and frequently cited justification used by Turkish authorities in politically motivated purges. A trustee was appointed to the Van Metropolitan Municipality on February 15, continuing a pattern in which the Turkish government systematically removes elected mayors, particularly from opposition parties, and replaces them with appointed officials.
Critics argue that the practice of appointing trustees undermines local democracy and violates the principle of administrative tutelage, which is meant to balance central government oversight with local autonomy. The government maintains that trustee appointments are necessary to protect national security and prevent the misuse of public resources for alleged terrorist activities.
The replacement of elected mayors with trustees has always sparked protests and attracted criticism from both domestic opposition parties and international organizations. The European Union and various human rights organizations have condemned the practice, saying that it violates the democratic rights of citizens and undermines the legitimacy of local governance. They argue that removing elected officials without due process and replacing them with unelected appointees erodes public trust in the political system and diminishes the role of elections in determining political leadership.
