Bahceli Brings Forward Plan to Increase the Number of Provinces in Turkiye
Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), has brought forward a plan to increase the number of provinces in Turkiye from 81 to 100 and the number of districts from 922 to 1,000. The proposal includes the establishment of 19 new provinces and 78 new districts.
Highlighting population growth and the changing needs of the country, Bahceli emphasized the need to reconsider Turkiye’s administrative structure. He stated that factors such as population growth, urbanization, and social and economic developments had been taken into account when preparing the proposal.
The MHP leader announced that districts proposed for provincial status would be evaluated based on criteria including population, level of economic development, geographical location, strategic importance, and access to public services.
He also stated that the final decision on these changes would be made following reviews by the relevant government institutions and approval by the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye.
If the proposal is approved and implemented, Turkiye’s administrative divisions will undergo significant changes.
With the designation of new provinces, governorships and other provincial-level government institutions will be established in these areas. The delivery of public services, including education, healthcare, and security services, will also be reorganized in accordance with the new administrative divisions.
These changes could also affect electoral districts and the distribution of parliamentary seats. Determining vehicle license plate codes for the new provinces is another issue that would need to be addressed if the proposal is implemented.
The implementation of these changes requires the approval of relevant legislation by the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye.
Turkiye currently has 81 provinces and 922 districts. The country also has 30 metropolitan municipalities and 51 provincial municipalities.
According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), Turkiye’s population reached 86,320,602 as of July 1, 2026.
If the Nationalist Movement Party’s proposal is implemented, the number of provinces in Turkiye will increase to 100, while the number of districts will reach 1,000.
