Governor of Istanbul facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Istanbul İstanbul Valiliği
Seat	Istanbul Governor's Office
Appointer	President of Turkey On the recommendation of the Turkish government
Term length	No fixed term
Inaugural holder	Esat Bey
Formation	1922
Website	Office of the Governor

Map of the Province of İstanbul, showing the provincial districts.

The governor of Istanbul (in Turkish: İstanbul Valiliği) is a very important official in Istanbul. Think of them as the main leader for the national government in that area. They are in charge of making sure that laws from the Turkish government are followed in Istanbul. The governor also leads the Istanbul police and the Gendarmerie (a type of military police).

How the Governor is Chosen

The governor of Istanbul is chosen by the President of Turkey. The Turkish Government suggests who should be the governor. The Ministry of the Interior first looks for good candidates. Then, the cabinet (a group of top government officials) approves the choice. People do not vote for the governor. Instead, they are a senior civil servant in Istanbul Province.

How Long They Serve

The governor does not have a set time limit for how long they can serve. They stay in their job as long as the government wants them to. The government can choose a new governor or move the current one to a different province whenever they decide. These decisions are also made by the cabinet of Turkey. It is common for governors to work in different provinces during their career. They might not have worked in Istanbul before becoming its governor.

What the Governor Does

The governor of Istanbul has many important jobs. They help run the government and also have influence over local city councils. The main job of the governor is to make sure that decisions from government ministries are put into action. They also ensure that laws passed by the Grand National Assembly are followed in Istanbul.

The governor can also move, remove, or appoint officials in some public offices. They can even change how some public institutions work if they think it's necessary. As the most senior public official in Istanbul, the governor leads public ceremonies. They also preside over provincial celebrations for national holidays.

Since the governor leads the provincial police and Gendarmerie forces, they can make decisions to keep public order. This includes stopping civil disobedience. Even though mayors and city council members are elected by people, the governor can inspect or reorganize how local governments work. This is true even though the governor is not elected.

List of Istanbul Governors

Here is a list of the people who have served as the Governor of Istanbul:

See also

• List of mayors of Istanbul
• Governor (Turkey)
• Ministry of the Interior (Turkey)