Evaluation of the understanding of present local government of the social democrat parties in Turkey within the frame of 1973-1980 municipal socialism practices

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the basic principles of social democratic parties in Turkey that are owned by local management approach and emphasis to the changes experienced over time. The reference period, taken at the point of determining the basic principles and emphasizing change, covers the years called "municipal socialism", when the CHP (Republican People's Party) ruled Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Izmit between 1973-1980. In this study, firstly, the local government history of the country on the way to municipal socialism experience is analyzed. Then, the concept of municipal socialism is explained in the light of theoretical and historical information. Subsequently, the change in the social democratic local government understanding after the 1980 coup, the period when the SHP (Social Democratic Populist Party) ruled Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir between 1989-1994 is examined and explained. Finally, in order to understand the present of the social democrats and interpret the future of social democrats locally, a meeting was held with Ekrem Imamoglu, the candidate of the CHP who won the 2019 local elections in Istanbul. In addition, a meeting was held with the CHP's Sisli Mayor Muammer Keskin.