LAW REFORM IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE RULE OF LAW AND INTERNATIONAL LAW: THE CASE OF TURKEY

Abstract

The rule of Law is one of the critical concepts that guarantee the existence of a state. This concept becomes even more critical, especially in the mechanisms of the state that are directly related to the public, such as public administrations. Although the idea of the rule of Law is ontologically vital for the countries, it is essential to correctly determine the elements that constitute the Rule of Law in public administration and the internal and external factors. In addition, the relationship between public administration reforms and justice reforms, the effects of the Rule of Law, or how to increase and better integrate the rule of law dimensions in public administration reforms may constantly come up. In this research, the effect of supranational institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union, which are external factors, on establishing the Rule of Law in public administrations is examined through the example of Turkey. The study claims that supranational institutions such as the UN and the EU have essential effects on establishing law. After the beginning of the 2000s, when the EU membership process started to be especially effective, reports on Turkey produced by both the UN and EU institutions were discussed. Problems, the relations between them, and the reforms made in Turkey are examined, and the adequacy of the reforms made in Turkey in ensuring the Rule of Law is discussed. Even though events such as terrorist incidents and coup attempts have caused severe disruptions in practices in Turkey, it has been concluded that the public administration and legal reforms made significant contributions to the Rule of Law.