The Venice Commission also acknowledges, as it already did on previous occasions, that in the immediate aftermath of the failed coup attempt of 15 July 2016, when the Turkish authorities were confronted with a dangerous armed conspiracy which in the terms of the Government “posed an existential threat to the life of the Nation”, certain extraordinary measures may have been required in Turkey. That said, the state of emergency ended in 2018. It is a matter of concern that based on the framework of the emergency regime changes of a structural nature to the system of local government in place in Turkey have been introduced on a permanent basis. The necessity for these changes appeared doubtful even during the state of emergency. That concern is of course all the greater now that the state of emergency period is at an end.