Parliament passes Kurdish law framework

On August 10, the Turkish Parliament passed a law titled Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion by a large majority, with 467 votes in favor, 87 against, and 7 abstentions. The law aims to address the long-standing conflict with the Kurdish guerrilla group PKK after four decades of war.

Support from multiple parties

The law received backing from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), and several other parties, including the People's Democracy and Equality Party (DEM), the New Party, and the Turkish Workers' Party (TİP). A small number of deputies from the Republican People's Party (CHP) also supported it, despite differences in their positions on the Kurdish issue.

Conditional release of PKK militants

The law includes provisions for the conditional release of imprisoned PKK militants or the suspension of their legal proceedings, provided they serve a probation period of three to five years. If they commit any new crimes during this time, they would face both the original sentence and the new charges. Those convicted of crimes before 2005 and those serving life sentences with aggravating factors are not eligible for this measure.

A shift in handling the Kurdish conflict

The law represents a significant change in how Turkey addresses the Kurdish conflict. It goes beyond executive decisions and is the result of a parliamentary process initiated by a multi-party commission, which excluded only the ultranationalist Good Party (İyi Parti). The commission aimed to end the armed conflict, primarily through negotiations with the PKK and its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan.

Judicial actions against CHP municipalities

Since the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in March of last year, police raids have occurred in at least thirty-nine municipalities won by the CHP in the 2024 local elections. Many mayors have been detained or imprisoned on corruption charges, often based on contested confessions or evidence obtained under questionable conditions. Similar tactics, previously used against Kurdish municipalities, are now being applied to CHP-controlled areas.

Unanswered Kurdish demands

While the framework law allows for the amnesty and reintegration of opponents, it does not address the broader Kurdish demands. The same judicial methods that were used to remove Kurdish mayors on terrorism charges between 2015 and 2025 are now targeting CHP mayors on corruption, bribery, and embezzlement charges, using similarly politicized legal practices.

Abdullah Öcalan's perspective

According to a statement by the DEM party after a visit to İmralı, where Abdullah Öcalan is held, he viewed the framework law as more than a symbolic gesture. He considered it a turning point, as some of the state's assurances have now been codified into law, making them legal obligations.

New Party's divided stance

The New Party, formed from a split in the CHP after a judicial decision seen as influenced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has seen its influence wane. While it supports the framework law, a majority of its deputies opposed a bill that would have allowed the release of imprisoned PKK members and the suspension of ongoing proceedings. This stance has led to confusion among Kurdish voters, who see it as resistance to the immediate release of their relatives.

Kurdish support and skepticism

Most Kurds support the "process" outlined in the law, but this does not equate to trust in Erdoğan. They are closely watching how the law is implemented. The government's current direction and use of power do not indicate a democratic transformation. Instead, they appear to be a set of selective non-aggression pacts within a broader authoritarian framework, where the state loosens one form of coercion while reinforcing others.