Turkish parliament passes landmark law to advance PKK peace process

Ankara has taken a significant step toward resolving the decades-long conflict with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as Turkey's parliament passed a landmark law establishing a legal framework for the group's disbandment. The legislation, approved by a substantial majority, aims to provide a pathway for former militants to reintegrate into society.

The new law offers legal protections to former PKK members who have not committed specific crimes and allows for the suspension of prison sentences for individuals convicted of PKK membership. This measure is considered the most concrete action taken in the peace process since jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called for the group's disarmament and dissolution in February 2025. The PKK subsequently announced its intention to end its armed struggle and disband in May 2025.

The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, launched its insurgency in 1984. The conflict has resulted in over 40,000 deaths, imposed a significant economic burden on southeastern Turkey, and fueled political and social divisions. The legislation addresses a key question in the peace process: the fate of thousands of PKK members as the group dismantles its structures.

The peace initiative gained public momentum in October 2024 when MHP leader Devlet Bahceli, known for his hardline stance, suggested Ocalan could address parliament. A subsequent parliamentary commission heard from various stakeholders before recommending the legislation. However, the law does not inherently resolve broader Kurdish demands for expanded political and cultural rights, reforms to anti-terrorism legislation, or the status of Ocalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999.

While the government frames the initiative as part of its goal to create a "terror-free Turkey," Kurdish politicians emphasize that lasting peace requires broader democratic and legal reforms.