Turkish lawmakers have endorsed reform measures aimed at ending a decades-long conflict with Kurdish militants. The parliamentary committee's recommendations include pathways for former fighters to reintegrate into society, but only after the militant group completely disarms and dissolves.
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish legislators moved forward Wednesday with a comprehensive peace plan designed to end a 40-year armed conflict with Kurdish militants, though they emphasized that any legal concessions must come only after complete disarmament verification.
The National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission endorsed the reform package by an overwhelming margin, with the final tally showing 47 members supporting the measures, two opposing, and one abstaining, according to Haberturk broadcaster.
The approved framework outlines temporary legal provisions that would allow Kurdistan Workers’ Party members to rejoin Turkish society if they abandon violence, based on the commission’s final report shared with media outlets.
Additional proposals include expanding speech protections, releasing elderly and ill inmates, preventing the prosecution of non-violent actions under terrorism statutes, and ending the government practice of installing appointed officials to replace elected pro-Kurdish mayors.
Turkey, along with the United States and European Union, has classified the PKK as a terrorist organization. The group has conducted an armed campaign since 1984 that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and extended into Iraq and Syria.
Originally pursuing Kurdish independence, the organization later modified its objectives to seek self-governance and enhanced rights within Turkey.
According to the commission’s findings, government confirmation that the PKK has abandoned weapons and disbanded represents “the most critical threshold in the process.”
The proposals fall short of recommending parole for detained PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, instead advocating adherence to European Court of Human Rights and Turkish Constitutional Court decisions regarding detention improvements. Acknowledging widespread public resistance to PKK leniency, the document avoids broad pardons and suggests individual case evaluations for fighters.
“The report is not an amnesty arrangement,” Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmus emphasized before the voting, characterizing the commission’s efforts as “a clear expression of the determination to build the future together without denying our suffering.”
The document states that “legal regulations must not create a perception of impunity or amnesty in society.”
Officials have not indicated what the subsequent phase of the process will entail.
Established in August to supervise peace efforts, the commission was formed after the PKK responded to Ocalan’s appeal by announcing in May its intention to disarm and disband, concluding more than four decades of conflict. The organization subsequently conducted a ceremonial weapons surrender in northern Iraq and began removing remaining fighters from Turkish territory.
The PKK has not issued an immediate response, though the group has previously demanded formal legal assurances from the government to advance the process.
In a broadcast statement, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the commission’s work, stating it has “put forward a perspective that will give momentum” to reconciliation initiatives.
The commission’s recommendations also encompass broader democratic reforms, including media law revisions to safeguard expression rights and legitimate criticism. The proposal suggests that when mayors face removal, replacements should be selected through municipal council internal elections rather than government appointments.