Transformation in the Turkish civil administration system after 2000

The Republic of Turkey, from the Ottoman Empire to the present day, has sought to establish a more effective and efficient system of governance. Within this effort to create a new administrative order, the territorial administration has undergone a series of transformations. These changes and reforms have been influenced not only by internal dynamics but also by external factors—particularly through loans and programs provided by international organizations. In the context of the new world order, the traditional structure of public administration became inadequate, leading to numerous studies on how the administrative framework should be revised. Until the 2000s, most research and reports on this topic remained superficial and failed at the implementation stage. Following the 2002 elections, the emergence of a single-party government facilitated faster and more effective implementation of the desired public administration reforms. Throughout this process, the reforms introduced in the field of governance brought structural changes to almost all public organizations. The aim was to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of public institutions in delivering services to citizens and to enhance public satisfaction with these services. This transformation, largely driven by legal regulations, generally reflected a shift of administrative authority from the central government toward local governments. However, for various reasons, this approach was later abandoned. Between 2002 and 2011, due to internal and external factors, a decentralization-oriented policy was pursued. After 2011, however, as a result of political and economic challenges faced by the country, new legal arrangements were introduced that marked a return to centralization. This study first defines and traces the historical development of territorial administration, and then, within the framework of transformations experienced after the 2000s under various public policies, examines its relationship with local governments, its position vis-à-vis them, and explores how the effectiveness of the territorial administration may evolve in the future. Key Worlds: Public Administration, Territorial Administration, Local Governments, Centralization, Localization