The local government reforms in the European Union membership process: The case of Czech Republic and Turkey

20th century has put its stamp on history, in its first half with two great World Wars and in its second half with a recovery, a restructuring and a unification process in the economical, political and cultural meanings after a destruction that is caused by wars. This transformation which is actualized in 20th century, inarguably, has affected the administrative systems as well as the socio-economical structures of the countries. Especially the social necessities that are increased with varying have given birth to new structures in national and sub-national organizations as well as different formations and associations in the meaning of supra-national structures. One of the best and favorite examples of these new formations is certainly the European Union (EU). When EU is an economy-based association, it has expanded and grown by virtue of the globalization fact within approximately 50 years and also has carried its economy-based association to a cultural, administrative and political dimension by deepening in its own frame. This study is analyzing the alterations and transformations that have been experienced in local governments of Turkey which is an EU candidate country and Czech Republic (CR) which is an EU member country in an administrative sense in 20th century. This study, accordingly, consists of five sections. In the first section, it has informed about the central and local administrative organization of CR and Turkey which are sample countries after informing about the state systems of these countries. In the second section, it has tried to explain the sources of the administrative and political influences of EU on the member countries and the candidate countries on the basis of the concepts of globalization, regionalization, localization and empowerment for the theoretical discussion. In the third section, it has discussed that the history of the local administration system of Turkey and the legal and administrative transformations in Turkey under the influence of EU, especially in the last 10 years. In the fourth section, it has analyzed the transformations that are experienced by CR especially after 1989 Velvet Revolution and before and after EU membership with considering the roles of EU and the national political actors after discussing the local administration systems of CR in a chronological framework. Finally, in the fifth section, it has commented on the administrative and organizational changes that are experienced by the local government systems of Turkey and Czech Republic with considering the EU effect. Under the conclusion title which is involved in the fifth section, it has suggested some solution offers for the actual problematic fields in the light of the transformations that is undergone by the local administration systems of two countries and it has presented some inferences for the possible future positions of these countries.