Izmir Municipality launches merit‑based hiring oversight board

The İzmir Metropolitan Municipality created a citizen‑led Monitoring Board (İzleme Kurulu) last year to eliminate nepotism in municipal hiring. The board works with an Employment Commission composed of a deputy secretary general, a legal adviser from the 1st Legal Counsel Office, and the head of Human Resources. Together they conduct written, oral and skill‑based exams objectively. Four local representatives and a municipal liaison serve on the Monitoring Board, which observes every stage of recruitment, participates in interviews, and reports directly to Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay. The board’s membership rotates periodically to ensure continuous oversight. Since its inception it has overseen hires for positions ranging from butchers and dietitians to truck drivers, construction masters, and preschool teachers, aiming for transparent, merit‑based appointments across municipal services.