We announced the 2025 Türkiye results of the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE), awarded by the Council of Europe to local authorities that embrace the principles of good governance, at a ceremony held on 10 February 2025.
10 February 2026
On 10 February 2025, we held the award ceremony where we announced the 2025 Türkiye results of the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE), granted by the Council of Europe to local authorities that embrace the principles of good governance. The event was not merely a certificate presentation; it was a moment that made visible the shared commitment to institutionalising local democracy and strengthening the culture of good governance at the local level.
We carried out the ELoGE Türkiye process under the coordination of the Argüden Governance Academy, authorised by the Council of Europe, within the framework of the National Platform composed of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB), the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA), and Özyeğin University. Applications were assessed by an independent jury consisting of experienced civil servants, academics, and civil society representatives, in line with the criteria set by the Council of Europe. As a result of this comprehensive and multi-stakeholder evaluation process, a total of 16 municipalities—6 metropolitan municipalities and 10 district municipalities—qualified to receive the ELoGE Label.
The municipalities awarded the Label this year are: Adana, Ankara, Avcılar, Bağcılar, Bakırköy, Balıkesir, Bornova, Eskişehir, Etimesgut, Fatih, Gaziantep, Kadıköy, Manisa, Odunpazarı, Sultanbeyli, and Tepebaşı. The awarded municipalities obtained the right to use the Label for a one-year period, until the end of 2026.
The ceremony opened with remarks by Cecilia Dalman Eek, Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and Chair of the ELoGE Accreditation Platform; Suat Yıldız, Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye; and Dr. Yılmaz Argüden, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Argüden Governance Academy. In their speeches, they emphasised that good governance constitutes the foundation of sustainable democratic societies, and that transparency, participation, accountability, and ethical conduct have evolved into a governance approach that is now measured, assessed, and continuously improved at the local level.
The programme continued with presentations by Niall Sheerin, Deputy Head of the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance of the Council of Europe, and Dr. İnan İzci, ELoGE Türkiye Coordinator. They provided an overview of the scope of the Label and the implementation process in Türkiye, highlighting the multi-dimensional roadmap and continuous improvement approach that ELoGE offers to municipalities.
The Labels were then presented to the municipalities during the ceremony hosted by the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye. The programme concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Şengül Altan Arslan, Deputy Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye.
The continuation of the ELoGE process with 16 municipalities this year, compared to 13 in the previous year, demonstrates that the culture of good governance is being increasingly embraced at the local level in Türkiye. Together with municipalities that have committed to strengthening their governance capacities in a systematic manner, we will continue to advance a lasting culture of trust and deepen local democracy.
Chair of Trustees
Secretary General of The Union of Municipalities of Türkiye
President of the ELoGE Accreditation Platform at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Deputy Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye
Academic Council Member
Deputy Head of the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of CoE
