Governor of Bursa


The Governor of Bursa is the bureaucratic state official responsible for both national government and state affairs in the Province of Bursa. Similar to the Governors of the 80 other Provinces of Turkey, the Governor of Bursa is appointed by the Government of Turkey and is responsible for the implementation of government legislation within Bursa. The Governor is also the most senior commander of both the Bursa provincial police force and the Bursa Gendarmerie.

Appointment

The Governor of Bursa is appointed by the President of Turkey, who confirms the appointment after recommendation from the Turkish Government. The Ministry of the Interior first considers and puts forward possible candidates for approval by the cabinet. The Governor of Bursa is therefore not a directly elected position and instead functions as the most senior civil servant in the Province of Bursa.

Term limits

The Governor is not limited by any term limits and does not serve for a set length of time. Instead, the Governor serves at the pleasure of the Government, which can appoint or reposition the Governor whenever it sees fit. Such decisions are again made by the cabinet of Turkey. The Governor of Bursa, as a civil servant, may not have any close connections or prior experience in Bursa Province. It is not unusual for Governors to alternate between several different Provinces during their bureaucratic career.

Functions

The Governor of Bursa has both bureaucratic functions and influence over local government. The main role of the Governor is to oversee the implementation of decisions by government ministries, constitutional requirements and legislation passed by Grand National Assembly within the provincial borders. The Governor also has the power to reassign, remove or appoint officials a certain number of public offices and has the right to alter the role of certain public institutions if they see fit. Governors are also the most senior public official within the Province, meaning that they preside over any public ceremonies or provincial celebrations being held due to a national holiday. As the commander of the provincial police and Gendarmerie forces, the Governor can also take decisions designed to limit civil disobedience and preserve public order. Although mayors of municipalities and councillors are elected during local elections, the Governor has the right to re-organise or to inspect the proceedings of local government despite being an unelected position.

List of Governors of Bursa

No.NameTook officeLeft office
1Hilmi Bey14 April 192314 March 1924
2Hasan Kemaleddin Gedeleç24 March 192416 November 1926
3Hüseyin Fatin Güvendiren15 December 192617 June 1933
4Zeynel Abidin Özmen19 June 193328 May 1934
5Fazlı Güleç20 June 193419 August 1935
6Refik Şefik Soyer29 August 193525 May 1939
7Refik Koraltan7 June 193926 January 1942
8Fazlı Güleç10 February 194228 August 1945
9Haşim İşcan14 September 19451 August 1950
10Mehmet Hilmi İncesulu1 August 19508 December 1951
11Cahit Ortaç15 December 195112 December 1954
12İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil16 December 195431 May 1960
13Rasim Gökbel19601960
14Fehmi Albayrak 31 May 196013 June 1960
15Turgut Başkaya13 June 19604 August 1960
16Daniyal Yurdatapan12 August 196013 October 1960
17Enver Kuray13 October 196011 October 1962
18Fahrettin Akkutlu1 November 196227 June 1964
19Vefa Poyraz29 June 196418 January 1966
20Celalettin Ünseli20 January 19661 May 1967
21Ertuğrul Ünlüer5 June 196715 September 1968
22Enver Saatçigil23 October 19689 June 1971
23Sedat Tolga9 July 197123 July 1975
24Mehmet Karasarlıoğlu24 July 197517 February 1978
25Ziya Çoker19 February 197812 September 1979
26M.Zekai Gümüşdiş10 October 19792 May 1988
27Erdoğan Şahinoğlu15 August 198816 July 1991
28Erol Çakır16 July 199117 February 1992
29Mehmet Necati Çetinkaya17 February 1992September 1993
30Rıdvan YenişenSeptember 199323 April 1996
31M. Orhan Taşanlar23 April 199630 September 1999
32Ali Fuat Güven4 October 19992003
33Oğuz Kağan Köksal20032005
34Nihat Canpolat20052007
35Şahabettin Harput20072013
36Münir Karaloğlu2013