Ankara – In a recent interview published in Hürriyet, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chairman Devlet Bahçeli revived his long‑standing “100 il, 1000 ilçe” (100 provinces, 1,000 districts) project, presenting a concrete blueprint for a sweeping administrative reform in Turkey. The plan calls for the creation of 19 additional provinces and 78 new districts, taking the country from its current 81 provinces and 922 districts to the targeted numbers by the time of the 2028 general elections.

Bahçeli’s proposal goes beyond simple population thresholds. In the interview, he highlighted a range of criteria that would qualify a locality for elevation to provincial status, including economic output, trade volume, transport and logistics hubs, energy and agricultural capacity, tourism importance, border‑security considerations, and overall regional development potential. Specific examples cited include Polatlı for its agricultural and logistic role, Tarsus for industrial and trade activity, Alanya for tourism, Bandırma for its maritime and industrial connections, as well as Doğubeyazıt and Erciş for strategic geographic positions.

The plan also touches on the governance of municipalities. Bahçeli reiterated his earlier call, made on 24 February, for a democratic reassessment of the “kayyum” (trustee) mechanism that has been used in security‑related dismissals of elected officials. He argued that when a mayor is removed for legal reasons, the municipal council should be allowed to elect a replacement from within its ranks rather than having an external trustee appointed. This distinction, he noted, preserves democratic representation while still addressing security concerns.

If enacted, the restructuring would have far‑reaching implications for Turkey’s political landscape. Parliamentary seats are allocated on a province‑by‑province basis, so the addition of new provinces would necessitate a redrawing of electoral districts and a recalculation of the number of deputies each province sends to the Grand National Assembly. While the creation of new provinces does not automatically advantage any single party, it could alter voting patterns, campaign strategies, and coalition dynamics ahead of the 2028 elections.

Legal and procedural hurdles remain. No legislation has yet been introduced to formalize the new provincial boundaries, and the timeline for any such bill is unclear. Bahçeli’s proposal must still secure consensus within the ruling Cumhur İttifakı coalition, which includes the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Good Party (İYİ). Opposition parties have not publicly detailed their positions on the reform, and the Ministry of Interior has not released an official timetable for the administrative changes.

Analysts note that the proposal aligns with the centennial celebrations of the Republic, which began in 2023, and could be positioned as a modernisation effort to better match Turkey’s evolving economic geography. However, the practical implementation would involve substantial administrative restructuring: establishing new governorates, courts, police districts, education and health facilities, and reallocating budgets and personnel.

As the 2028 elections approach, the “100 il, 1000 ilçe” initiative stands out as a potential focal point of debate over how Turkey’s governance should adapt to demographic and economic shifts. Whether the plan will translate into law before the next electoral cycle remains an open question.

Source: https://www.cnnturk.com/turkiye/mulki-idareden-2028-secimlerine-devlet-bahcelinin-onerisi-ne-anlama-geliyor-3488127