The Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (UMT) was established in 1945 as a public benefit association to operate in the field of municipalism and continued its activities in municipalism as an association for 57 years in order to protect the rights and interests of municipalities under the umbrella of the association.

The Union of Municipalities of Türkiye gained the status of a union of local administrations with the decision of the Council of Ministers dated 21 August 2002 and numbered 2002/4559 in order to gather all municipalities in Türkiye under one roof.

With the adoption of the Local Administrative Unions Law No. 5355 in the Turkish Grand National Assembly on 26.05.2005 and its publication in the Official Gazette dated 11.6.2005, and the approval of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye Statute prepared according to this Law on 28.09.2005 by the Ministry of Interior, the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, It has gained the feature of being the only local government union that has the authority to represent municipalities at national and international level and where all municipalities are natural members.

The duties of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (UMT) are listed in article 20 of the Law on Local Administrative Unions No. 5355 and article 7 of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye Bylaw.

The duties of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye are as follows;

ARTICLE 7- (1) The duties and powers of the Union;

a) Representing municipalities at home and abroad, in this context, being a member of institutions, organizations, unions, associations, foundations and similar organizations operating in the field of local governments, supporting international relations and cooperation of municipalities and facilitating their access to international networks.

b) To protect the interests of municipalities and to file lawsuits when necessary for this purpose.

c) To express opinions and make suggestions on the legislative preparations concerning the municipalities, to request the legislative preparations from the relevant authorities for this purpose, to participate in the studies carried out before the Turkish Grand National Assembly Commissions and other authorities.

ç) To take initiatives and develop legislative proposals for the solution of problems reported by municipalities or identified by the Union.

d) To guide municipalities, to provide consultancy services and to form opinions on the problems encountered in practice.

e) To organize all kinds of training activities and events such as conferences, seminars, panels, workshops for the mayor, council members and employees of the municipality and its subsidiaries and their affiliates, to establish training centers, to encourage the dissemination of good practice examples by sharing knowledge and experience, Organizing domestic and international trips.

f) To encourage and support cooperation and cooperation between municipalities in the country and abroad, and solidarity with municipalities affected by natural or social events, and to establish a disaster and emergency center when necessary to ensure coordination between municipalities for this purpose.

g) To cooperate with public institutions and organizations, local governments, universities, non-governmental organizations, professional organizations and chambers and similar international organizations in matters that will help the development of municipality and local services, to carry out joint service projects and to support the development of sister city relations. .

ğ) To support the use and dissemination of information technologies in municipalities and the development of e-municipalism.

h) To make all kinds of written and visual publications related to municipality, to carry out research and development activities, to support scientific studies in the field of municipality.

ı) To support municipalities to benefit from national and international credit institutions and funds and to develop projects.

i) To follow the developments in local government in the world, to support the municipalities in structuring and producing services in accordance with these developments.

j) To support the local governments of our country in the European Union (EU) harmonization process, to contribute to the creation of the EU acquis on local governments and to guide its implementation.

k) In order to realize the objectives of the Union, to represent its members, to follow the agenda of international local governments, to establish direct contact with the relevant parties, in accordance with international agreements and foreign policy, in accordance with the parliamentary decision, with the opinion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with the permission of the Ministry of Interior, a representative office abroad or, if necessary, to open liaison offices.

l) To provide accommodation and urban transportation services to the members of the municipality, in the center of the Union and in other places, when necessary.

m) Issuing identity documents to mayors.

n) To conduct public opinion polls and surveys in order to determine the views and opinions of the municipalities regarding the services of the Union.

o) To carry out social responsibility projects or to give support in matters falling within the jurisdiction of municipalities.

ö) To engage in all kinds of activities and initiatives for the development of municipalism.