Kurdish issue resolution in Turkey

Recent efforts to address the Kurdish issue in Turkey have focused on ending armed conflict, according to reports. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his nationalist ally, MP Devlet Bahçeli, have emphasized strengthening "national unity" and using the issue as a political tool, with an early presidential election set for 2028. This is the fourth such initiative in twenty years since the Justice and Development Party (AKP), led by Erdoğan, has dominated Turkish politics.

Resolution process and political dynamics

The initiative, led by Devlet Bahçeli of the National Action Party (MHP), an extreme right-wing party, followed a similar approach to previous resolution processes. In February 2025, Abdullah Öcalan, a prominent Kurdish leader, announced the end of armed struggle with a "call for peace and a democratic society." In July, Kurdish guerrilla militants symbolically burned their weapons in Northern Iraq. The Turkish parliament established a "commission for national solidarity, brotherhood and democracy" and adopted a framework law in August 2026 to provide structure to the process.

Nationalist reactions and historical context

Despite these developments, there has been no official recognition of the Kurdish issue or identification of reforms to address it. Devlet Bahçeli, who previously opposed negotiations with the Kurds, was the driving force behind the initiative, restarting it when it seemed to be stalled. This has raised questions about the motivations behind the nationalist approach and its alignment with the AKP. The AKP's attempts to resolve the Kurdish issue have faced nationalist resistance in the past.

Historical nationalist resistance

In 2009, the television broadcast of PKK rebels surrendering weapons at the Turkish-Iraqi border caused a nationalist outcry, halting the "democratic opening." In 2012, prosecutors from the Gülen movement denounced secret negotiations with the PKK, fueled by rivalry and nationalism. In June 2015, the AKP's retreat in the parliamentary elections was partly due to the MHP's rise, reflecting nationalist opposition to the resolution process.

Nationalist criticism and political alliances

Devlet Bahçeli's initiative triggered strong nationalist criticism, especially after he invited Abdullah Öcalan to the Parliament to announce the end of armed struggle. The most intense reactions came from marginal political forces, while more influential groups, such as the Yeniden Refah Partisi (New Prosperity Party) and its leader Fatih Erbakan, criticized the AKP's ability to defend Turkey's conservative and nationalist values. Secular republican circles also expressed concerns about the negotiations with the PKK, fearing threats to the integrity of the Republic.

Shift in government rhetoric

The Turkish government has shifted the focus of the resolution process towards "freeing Turkey from terrorism," presenting it as an initiative to neutralize the PKK. The term "Kurdish" is absent from the official designation of the ongoing initiative, and the idea of resolving a problem is no longer mentioned. The project is now called "Initiative for a Turkey without terror."

Nationalist framing and state unity

Devlet Bahçeli emphasized that the Republic of Turkey has no Kurdish problem, framing the issue as separatist terrorism. He avoided presenting his approach as a concession to the Kurds or the PKK, instead framing it as a strategy for the definitive eradication of terrorism to strengthen state unity.

Repression of opposition and political shifts

The "Initiative for a Turkey without terror" was launched amid a massive repression against the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP). In March 2025, Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu was arrested, and many opposition mayors were imprisoned. In October 2025, a CHP report documented this as a systematic purge aimed at preventing the opposition from winning elections. In May 2026, a court decision put the CHP leadership out of commission, leading to the formation of the Yeni Parti (New Party), which gained the support of 66% of CHP deputies.

Doubts about resolution and Kurdish skepticism

This repression has raised doubts about the chances of the 2024 initiative leading to the resolution of the Kurdish problem. Abdullah Öcalan called for the dissolution of the PKK in February 2025, estimating that the Kurdish cause could be satisfied through political means. However, the ongoing initiative has not changed the fate of the Kurds, raising doubts even within their own leaders.

Criticism from Kurdish leaders

In July 2026, Tülay Hatimoğulları Oruç, co-president of the party of equality and democracy of peoples (Dem), stated that the process was sabotaging the peace process with the Kurds. Tuncer Bakırhan, the other co-president, noted that no measures had been taken to satisfy the most elementary rights of the Kurds. PKK leaders expressed skepticism, with Murat Karayılan questioning the scope of the framework law adopted in August 2026.

Calls for constitutional reform

In October 2026, Cengiz Çandar, a prominent figure of the Kurdish parliamentary party, stated that the Dem party could support a new presidential candidacy of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan provided that a constitutional reform significantly strengthens the rights of the Kurds. This would involve amending articles 42 and 66 of the Turkish Constitution to allow the teaching of Kurdish in primary schools and promote a more inclusive definition of citizenship. Çandar also called for the release of Selahattin Demirtaş and the end of the tutelage of Kurdish municipalities by the Ministry of the Interior.

Concerns about democratic erosion

This statement was poorly received in Kemalist opposition circles, where some fear that the ongoing process may sacrifice Turkish democracy for an uncertain resolution of the Kurdish issue. The satisfaction of the claims formulated by Çandar would require substantial progress in the rule of law and a return to a democratic society, highlighting the ambiguities of the resolution process initiated in 2024.