Pro-Kurdish party briefs main opposition, other parties on meeting with jailed PKK leader

Delegates from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) continued a marathon of meetings with political parties this week, briefing them on their historic engagement with imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan and discussing steps toward a potential peace process.

The DEM Party delegation, comprising Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Van MP Pervin Buldan and veteran Kurdish politician Ahmet Türk, met with the Republican People’s Party (CHP), DEVA Party and the New Welfare Party (YRP) on Tuesday. These meetings followed earlier discussions with the Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and others.

During a 90-minute meeting at parliament, the DEM Party delegation briefed CHP Chair Özgür Özel and key party members, including parliamentary group deputy chair Gökhan Günaydın and General Secretary Selin Sayek Böke. Özel emphasized the need for a comprehensive parliamentary commission to guide the peace talks.

“We have expressed from the start that we support every step aimed at resolving Turkey’s 50-year-old problem and ending the tears of mothers,” Özel said. “Our consistent stance is that this process must proceed under the oversight of parliament. We believe a strong commission involving all parties is crucial.”

Özel also stressed the importance of inclusivity, urging mechanisms that allow voices from martyrs’ families and veterans to be heard without alienation. He dismissed speculation linking the peace efforts to constitutional amendments, affirming that the focus must remain on ending violence and fostering unity.

Later in the day, the DEM Party delegation met with DEVA Party Chair Ali Babacan and his team at their headquarters. Babacan reiterated his party’s commitment to democratic solutions and called on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to clarify his position in the evolving process.

Turkey’s problems must be resolved through legitimate democratic platforms,” Babacan said. “Since October 1, a new political climate has emerged. We value the ongoing efforts, but President Erdoğan’s stance remains unclear. It’s time for him to define his position.”

Babacan described the discussions as “very productive” and noted the importance of openness among all stakeholders in the new process. Önder, representing the DEM Party, acknowledged the valuable feedback received during the meeting and promised a detailed statement after further consultations.

The DEM Party’s final stop on Tuesday was the YRP, where they met with Chairman Fatih Erbakan and senior party officials. The hour-and-20-minute discussion addressed concerns and potential pathways for collaboration.

“They answered our questions about the process and addressed our concerns,” Erbakan said. “For now, this is sufficient, and we hope these talks lead to positive outcomes.”

Önder described the meeting as “very fulfilling” and highlighted the importance of listening to critiques and reservations as well as support. “This isn’t just about political maneuvering; it’s about the future of our society,” he said. “We owe our children a peaceful country, and we cannot shirk this responsibility.”

The DEM Party’s meetings follow their December 28 visit to Öcalan on İmralı Island — his first political meeting in nearly a decade. During that meeting, Öcalan expressed readiness to contribute to a “new paradigm” for resolving the Kurdish conflict.

Since then, the delegation has met with several political leaders, including Speaker of Parliament Numan Kurtulmuş, MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli and AKP representatives. Each meeting has focused on gathering support and input for advancing the process.

The PKK, a Marxist-inspired group founded by Öcalan in 1978, has waged an armed insurgency for Kurdish autonomy that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies. A prior peace process collapsed in 2015, leading to renewed violence.

The DEM Party delegation’s consultations signal cautious optimism for a new chapter in Turkey’s Kurdish policy. However, with public skepticism and political risks on all sides, the path to peace remains fraught with challenges.

The delegation plans to meet with Selahattin Demirtaş, the imprisoned former Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair, later this week. They have stated that a comprehensive statement will follow that meeting, incorporating feedback from their political consultations and laying out their vision for a peaceful resolution.