Delegates from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) met with representatives from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and several opposition parties on Monday to discuss their historic meeting with imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Last week, the DEM Party’s three-person delegation, comprising Parliamentary Deputy Speaker Sırrı Süreyya Önder, lawmaker Pervin Buldan and veteran Kurdish politician Ahmet Türk, met with Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and then with Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, following Önder and Buldan’s visit to Öcalan, the jailed founder of the PKK who is serving life without parole in a high-security prison on İmralı Island near İstanbul.

Today’s meetings aimed to build momentum for renewed dialogue to address Turkey’s decades-long Kurdish issue, a term prevalent in Turkish political discourse that refers to Kurds’ struggle for recognition.

Iron fist in a velvet glove

At an AKP congress in Samsun on January 4, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a firm call for the PKK to lay down their arms, framing it as the only viable path forward for the group.

“The separatist killers will either bury their weapons or be buried with them,” Erdoğan declared. “For the PKK terrorist organization, there is no third option. The era of weapons, terror and violence is over.”

Erdoğan’s statements, while uncompromising in tone, hinted at support for his ally Bahçeli and others who advocate for dialogue with Öcalan for the PKK to lay down arms and disband. Bahçeli’s earlier comments calling for Öcalan to address the Dem Party’s parliamentary group and announce the dissolution of the PKK were seen as groundbreaking in Turkey’s polarized political landscape.

“Those who rely on provocations must stop,” Erdoğan added, asserting that sabotaging the ongoing process would be a miscalculation that would end up harming the perpetrators.

Observers say the president’s remarks underline his dual approach: presenting a hard stance on “terror” while signaling openness to political negotiation.

Historic meeting sparks cautious optimism

The DEM Party’s visit to Öcalan marked the jailed leader’s first political meeting in nearly a decade. During the encounter, Öcalan reportedly expressed readiness to contribute positively to the emerging “new paradigm” initiated by Erdoğan and Bahçeli.

“I am prepared to take the necessary steps and make the call,” Öcalan stated, according to the DEM Party delegation. “If conditions are met, I have the ability to shift this process from conflict and violence to law and politics.”

Following the İmralı visit, the DEM Party launched a series of consultations with political parties represented in parliament. On Monday they met with AKP representatives, including parliamentary group chair Abdullah Güler, deputy party chairman Efkan Ala, party spokesperson Ömer Çelik and deputy parliamentary group chair Özlem Zengin. The meeting lasted 85 minutes, making it the longest engagement of the delegation’s round of meetings thus far.

“We had a sincere and positive conversation,” Güler said afterward. “We shared our thoughts, and necessary statements will be made in the coming days.”

Earlier in the day the DEM Party delegation met with Future Party Chairman Ahmet Davutoğlu, who described the discussion as a “very sincere consultation.” He urged calm and respect for public order during what he called “a critical period.”

The delegation is expected to meet with the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) Chair Ali Babacan and New Welfare Party (YRP) Chairman Fatih Erbakan later this week. A meeting with Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel is pending scheduling.

DEM Party representatives also met with Felicity Party (SP) Chair Mahmut Arıkan, who described the discussions as constructive. “We shared our concerns with the delegation and will follow up with them soon to contribute to the process,” Arıkan said.

The DEM Party emphasized its role in advocating for democratic reforms and an end to Öcalan’s isolation as prerequisites for meaningful progress.

“Since October, we have closely followed developments,” DEM Party spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan said. “Using all democratic channels, we continue to stress the importance of opening İmralı’s doors and shifting Öcalan’s conditions toward democratic negotiation and peace.”

Comprehensive statement pending Demirtaş meeting

The DEM Party has announced that it will issue a comprehensive statement after its upcoming meeting with imprisoned Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtaş. Demirtaş, former co-chair of DEM Party predecessor the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has been detained in Edirne prison since his arrest in 2016. Known for his efforts to bridge ethnic divides and promote peace, Demirtaş’s imprisonment has been at the center of international criticism of the human rights situation in Turkey. The delegation sees Demirtaş’s contribution as crucial to its strategy and its final statement is expected to reflect his perspective on the efforts to address Kurdish grievances.

A long road to peace

The Kurdish issue, rooted in the aspirations of the world’s largest stateless ethnic group, has plagued Turkey since the 1970s. The PKK, founded in 1978 by Öcalan, has waged an armed insurgency that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU, the PKK’s shift from calls for independence to demands for autonomy has not ended the conflict.

The peace talks initiated in 2012 marked a high point in efforts to address Kurdish grievances through democratic reforms and the laying down of arms. However, the talks collapsed in 2015, leading to renewed violence. Critics have questioned whether Öcalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999, retains the influence needed to broker peace.