The Ministry of Interior continues to remove co-mayors from office despite the absence of final court rulings against them and appoints trustees in their place. On Monday, the ministry appointed a trustee to the municipality of Kağızman (Qaxizman) in Kars (Qers), which was run by the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). This brings the total number of municipalities taken over by trustees since the local elections on 31 March 2024, to 12. 

On 3 June, the Ministry of Interior appointed a trustee to the municipality of Hakkari (Colemêrg). The DEM Party co-mayor, Sıddık Akış, was arrested following the trustee appointment and sentenced to 19 years and 6 months in prison on 5 June. 

'Urban Consensus' model targeted 

Ahmet Özer, the mayor of Esenyurt from the Republican People's Party (CHP), who was elected through the “Urban Consensus” model, was detained on 30 October 2024, on charges of “being a member of an illegal organization” and was later remanded in custody. On 31 October, Istanbul Deputy Governor Can Aksoy was appointed as a trustee in his place. 

On 4 November, trustees were appointed to the metropolitan municipality of Mardin (Mêrdîn) and the municipalities of Batman (Êlih) and Halfeti (Xelfetî) in Urfa (Riha), all governed by the DEM Party. 

The trustee appointments continued on 22 November, when the DEM Party-led Dersim Municipality and the CHP-led Ovacık (Pulur) Municipality were taken over. The appointment of trustees was justified by the six-year and three-month prison sentences given on 20 November to Dersim co-mayor Cevdet Konak and Pulur mayor Mustafa Sarıgül from CHP. 

On 29 November, Ayvaz Hazır, the co-mayor of Bahçesaray (Miks) in Van (Wan), was removed from office, and a trustee was appointed in his place. His removal was based on a three-year and 11-month prison sentence he received for attending a press statement while working in the municipality's press office in 2015, as well as an ongoing investigation for “making propaganda for an illegal organization.” 

Trustee appointed to Akdeniz Municipality 

On 10 January, the DEM Party co-mayors of Akdeniz Municipality in Mersin, Nuriye Arslan and Hoşyar Sarıyıldız, were arrested. A trustee was appointed to the municipality on 14 January. 

Siirt (Sêrt) co-mayor Sofya Alağaş, who previously worked as a journalist, was sentenced to six years and three months in prison on 28 January accused of “being a member of an illegal organization.” The Ministry of Interior dismissed her from office on 29 January and appointed the governor as a trustee. 

Van (Wan) Metropolitan Municipality co-mayor Abdullah Zeydan was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison on 11 February after being retried on charges of “aiding an illegal organization.” A trustee was appointed to the municipality on 15 February. 

On Monday 24 February, a trustee was appointed to Kağızman (Qaxizman) in Kars (Qers). Co-mayor Mehmet Alkan was sentenced to six years and three months in prison on 20 February on charges of “membership in an illegal organization.” His removal from office was justified with this sentence.