The ceremony held in Ankara for the presentation of the Label, recognized as a symbol of good governance culture in local administrations, was attended by representatives of local administrations from across Türkiye, members of the press, and representatives of the National Platform. Following a year of preparations and application processes, the Label was acquired to 13 municipalities. In 2022, the Label was granted to two district municipalities in Türkiye for the first time. In 2023, two metropolitan municipalities and four district municipalities acquired the right to use the Label. For 2024, based on the efforts made and commitments given, the right to use the Label was acquired to five metropolitan municipalities, two provincial municipalities, and six district municipalities.

The ceremony began with opening speeches by representatives of the National Platform, authorized for the Label in Türkiye, and the representative of the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe's representative emphasized the importance they attach to the ELoGE processes in Türkiye, while the National Platform representatives spoke about the benefits of the Label’s use for local administrations in Türkiye.

The opening speeches at the ceremony were delivered by Niall Sheerin, Vice President of the Council of Europe’s Center of Expertise in Good Governance; Mario Žuliček, Board Member of the European Association for Local Democracy; Dr. Şengül Altan Arslan, Deputy Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye; and Dr. Yılmaz Argüden, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Argüden Governance Academy. Following the Label information presentation by Dr. Erkin Erimez and Dr. İnan İzci, members of the Argüden Governance Academy Academic Board, Jury Committee Representative and former Governor Enver Salihoğlu shared the jury’s approach to the application and evaluation process of the Label. After the speeches, the Label was presented to 13 municipalities.

The Speeches of National Platform and Council of Europe Representatives

Dr. Şengül Altan Arslan, Deputy Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye; said “Local governments can establish trust only by ensuring participatory decision-making processes, inclusive services, and transparent practices. As the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (UMT), we are committed to promoting these values and offering guidance to municipalities dedicated to achieving these principles. We are pleased to involve in the process of ELoGE, developed by the Council of Europe and aligned with the objectives of our union, in our country.”

Dr. Şengül Altan Arslan, Deputy Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye

Niall Sheerin, Vice President of the Council of Europe’s Center of Expertise in Good Governance, said; “The ELoGE, coordinated by the Argüden Governance Academy in Türkiye, is a key initiative aimed at strengthening the governance capacities of municipalities. The increase in the number of municipalities granted the right to use the Label from 2 to 13 within three years reflects a strong commitment by local governments in Türkiye to enhancing their governance practices and upholding the principles of democratic governance. This progress paves the way for municipalities to improve their performance and build stronger connections with their communities. The involvement and support of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye in this process are highly valuable to us.”

Niall Sheerin, Vice President of the Council of Europe’s Center of Expertise in Good Governance

Mario Žuliček, Board Member of the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA), said; “Democracy signifies a process of social development and continuous improvement. In this context, local governments play a crucial role as drivers of change within society. ELoGE seeks to enhance governance effectiveness by providing municipalities with the opportunity to assess and improve their practices. Moreover, ELoGE promotes core democratic values such as strengthening human rights, fostering transparency, and upholding ethical principles. As ALDA, we are committed to supporting these values and working with local governments to enhance their democratic processes.”

Mario Žuliček, Board Member of the European Association for Local Democracy

Dr. Yılmaz Argüden, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Argüden Governance Academy, said; “The European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE), serves as a valuable guide for local governments on their journey towards good governance. We take pride in seeing municipalities that have been part of this journey consistently improve their governance standards, alongside those newly joined the ELoGE process. Their collective success strengthens the culture of good governance in Türkiye. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all municipalities that have earned this recognition.”

Dr. Yılmaz Argüden, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Argüden Governance Academy

European Label of Governance Excellence Ceremony

As a result of the evaluation by an independent jury comprising academics, experienced bureaucrats, academics, and civil society representatives, 13 municipalities were announced as having acquired the right to use the Label for one year.

Firstly, the municipalities starting their use of the Label as of this year were presented with their Labels. The municipalities were categorized as district municipalities, provincial municipalities, and metropolitan municipalities, respectively. Within each subcategory, they were listed alphabetically to ensure the fair flow of the ceremony.

The municipalities entitled to use the European Label of Governance Excellence for the first time in 2024 are as follows:

• Avcılar Municipality (Istanbul)

• Etimesgut Municipality (Ankara)

• Kadıköy Municipality (Istanbul)

• Melikgazi Municipality (Kayseri)

• Amasya Municipality

• Niğde Municipality

• Adana Metropolitan Municipality

• Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality

• Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality

Erdal Beşikçioğlu, Mayor of Etimesgut Municipality, who acquired the European Label of Governance Excellence, shared his views on the journey towards governance excellence. Beşikçioğlu stated that acquiring the right to use the Label increases their responsibilities towards the citizens of Etimesgut and that they plan to reapply for the Label in the following year. He also expressed his gratitude to the members of the National Platform for their efforts in promoting the European Label of Governance Excellence.

Erdal Beşikçioğlu, Mayor of Etimesgut Municipality

After acquiring the European Label of Governance Excellence, Mustafa Palancıoğlu, Mayor of Melikgazi Municipality, first extended his gratitude to the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, the Council of Europe, and the Argüden Governance Academy. He shared that acquiring the right to use the Label serves as an incentive for their governance efforts.

Mustafa Palancıoğlu, Mayor of Melikgazi Municipality

The municipalities that renewed their right to use the European Label of Governance Excellence by regaining the trust of the jury are as follows:

• Bağcılar Municipality (Istanbul)
• Sultanbeyli Municipality (Istanbul)
• Ankara Metropolitan Municipality
• Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality

Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, Attorney Ayşe Ünlüce, who expressed t happiness about regaining the Label for the second time after first obtaining it in 2023, shared that while preparing Eskişehir’s five-year strategic plan, they benefited from the 12 principles and 97 indicators of the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE), ensuring that citizens played an active role in decision-making processes as part of the principle of participation.

Attorney Ayşe Ünlüce, Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor

Establishing the National Platform and the ELoGE Application Process

The ELoGE application process was carried out by the National Platform established under the coordination of the Argüden Governance Academy, which was authorized by the Council of Europe to grant the Label in Türkiye. The members of the National Platform this year were the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, the Association of Local Democracy Agencies, and Altınbaş University. Applications were evaluated by an independent jury composed of experienced bureaucrats, academics, and civil society representatives, in accordance with the criteria set by the Council of Europe.

Related People