The European Commission found backsliding in democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in its 2026 Türkiye Report published on 4 November. The Commission criticized executive influence over the judiciary and the failure to implement some Constitutional Court decisions, and called for changes to the structure of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors. It emphasized that European Court of Human Rights judgments concerning Osman Kavala and Selahattin Demirtaş had not been implemented. According to the report, 22 CHP mayors had been suspended or arrested since 1 September 2025; the number of mayors in this position since the 2024 local elections had reached 49. Trustees were appointed in place of 10 DEM Party mayors and one CHP mayor in eastern and southeastern provinces. The Commission said the process aimed at resolving the Kurdish question had broad support but that positive developments were not reflected equally across the country. It noted that most Kurdish-language media outlets had not reopened, restrictions on mother-tongue education continued and elective Kurdish courses were hindered by shortages of teachers and minimum student-number requirements. It reported that more than 200 people were detained during Newroz celebrations in March 2026. The number of journalists and media workers affected by detention, arrest or continued-detention decisions between September 2025 and September 2026 rose to 74 from 51 in the previous period. The Commission called for the release of jailed journalists and amendments to regulations restricting press freedom. It called for preventing violence against women, strengthening gender equality and protecting the rights of LGBTI+ people. The report found progress in the market economy but said high inflation, youth unemployment, low female labor-force participation and informality persisted. It reported that, as of September 2026, 2,218,101 Syrians were under temporary protection and 87,321 Syrians held short-term residence permits in Türkiye. The Foreign Ministry described the report as biased and unfair and rejected its assessments concerning political criteria, the judiciary and fundamental rights.
5 November 2026
Bianet