Türkiye’s landmark initiative to end decades of violence by the PKK terrorist group will probably have the greatest impact on Türkiye’s southeastern and eastern regions, both economically and in terms of security.

Residents of the predominantly Kurdish region, which was terrorized by the PKK and saw children lost to the group’s brainwashing tactics for years, can now see a silver lining in a recently adopted law that will advance the terror-free Türkiye initiative.

The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion, passed by Parliament earlier this week, will help nonviolent members of the PKK on the path to reintegration by deferring prosecution and sentencing for many.

Residents in Diyarbakır, the region’s main city, expressed hope that the new law will bring peace as well as prosperity to a region that has lagged behind economically due to a security situation that has deteriorated dramatically since the 1980s.

“I was really very happy. I even applauded (the result) in my own home,” 70-year-old retiree Ali Akdoğan told The Associated Press (AP). “The economy will improve, good things will happen, people will start doing business.

“I believe it will bring peace,” he continued.

Mehmet Kaya, head of the Diyarbakır Chamber of Trade and Industry, welcomed the fact that the legislation was passed with an overwhelming majority. “It signals that violence is ending and the doors of politics are opening,” he said. However, the law alone does not solve the Kurdish issue, and further reforms will be needed, he added.

“If the step taken from now brings sustainable democratization, and social and economic policies develop, which is the expectation, then the region will go through an important phase,” Kaya said.

Hacı Çapan, a Diyarbakır resident, said they hoped “no families will cry again,” referring to victims of terrorism.

Proponents of the terror-free Türkiye initiative, including government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, who first suggested the process in 2024, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, tout it as a way to cement Turkish-Kurdish unity in the face of external threats. The PKK retained a rhetoric of fighting for Kurdish rights as it sought to legitimize its campaign, which was concentrated in southeastern Türkiye and killed a large number of security personnel and civilians.

“It all depends on Bahçeli, Erdoğan and the DEM Party. If they are united on this matter, (terror-free Türkiye) will be achieved,” Çapan told Ihlas News Agency (IHA) on Tuesday.

The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), which has intricate links with the PKK, has been a key intermediary in the initiative, relaying messages from the group’s jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, to the public.

“This country suffered too much, and we hope it won’t have to suffer again. Other countries want us to be like Syria and Iran. If it wasn’t for President Erdoğan and the unity of the Turkish and Kurdish people, it could have been like that,” Çapan said.

Engin Yeşil, chair of Diyarbakır Commerce Exchange, told the Sabah newspaper that the region has been embroiled in conflict for decades and that the new law was very much welcomed by people in the region. “Almost everyone supports the initiative and this law. Its impact will be visible everywhere soon,” he said.

Emine Tuncer, a businessperson based in the eastern province of Batman, told Sabah that the end of the violent campaign was an economic and social turning point for the region.

“A permanent peace environment will provide the security and stability desired by investors. With more investment by the private sector, industry, agriculture, tourism and commerce will rapidly develop,” she said.

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Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş was at the forefront of efforts to facilitate parliamentary debate on the terror-free Türkiye initiative from the time it began two years ago. The culmination of the legislative work to advance the process, which seeks the full disbandment of the terrorist group PKK, was a relief for the veteran politician. In remarks on Wednesday, Kurtulmuş highlighted the fact that the initiative had received broad public support, as indicated by Tuesday’s vote in Parliament.

Kurtulmuş was not authorized to cast a vote due to his duties as parliament speaker, but 468 lawmakers from across the political spectrum voted in favor of the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion after lengthy deliberations. The law primarily provides for the deferral of prosecution and sentencing for PKK members who have not been involved in acts of terrorism. It was presented to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday. After Erdoğan’s approval, it is expected to be published in the Official Gazette, but only after the PKK’s dissolution is officially confirmed by the National Security Council chaired by Erdoğan.

In an interview at Anadolu Agency’s (AA) Editors’ Desk, Kurtulmuş said the law’s approval reflected the fact that a majority of the nation supported the initiative politically. “We tried to build a balance so that the majority would accept it, including the families of our martyrs and veterans,” he said. Opponents of the initiative, mostly far-right groups, claimed that the initiative amounted to concessions to the PKK, which has killed tens of thousands of people in attacks since the 1980s. Authorities deny that any concessions have been made, and the law stipulates that deferrals will only be approved after the PKK’s disarmament has been verified.

Kurtulmuş said that Türkiye is going through one of the most important processes in its history with the initiative, recalling that terrorism had shackled Türkiye for half of the first century of the Republic, leading to the deaths of soldiers and civilians and the squandering of significant financial resources. Kurtulmuş noted that efforts had been made to foment hostility between Turks and Kurds and to divide and fragment Türkiye, adding that the country had paid a heavy price throughout the process.

Describing the steps taken as part of the initiative, Kurtulmuş said Türkiye had reached in one year a point that other countries had taken eight or nine years, or even longer, to reach.

He recalled that the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission, established in Parliament as part of the initiative, held its first meeting on Aug. 5, 2025.

Kurtulmuş, who was the chairperson of the commission, said all political parties were represented on it and that representatives of different segments of society had been heard during its 21 meetings. He emphasized that everyone was able to express their views and suggestions freely during the commission’s meetings, without any restrictions, and noted that no one spoke against those who addressed the commission afterward, describing this as an exceptionally high example of democracy. Recalling that the commission’s report was prepared with the consensus of the parties on Feb. 18, Kurtulmuş said the report was among the important documents produced during the process.

He said the commission had been one of the most effective and democratic instruments in the process, adding: “During the drafting of the law, we paid attention to the following: We had a report, which served as a guideline for preparing the draft law, that was unanimously adopted. Forty-seven people voted for it, and all parties supported the report. We said that the law to be drafted would establish the legal framework for managing the process that would emerge with the PKK disbanding itself and laying down its arms, as outlined in the sixth section of the report. The law adopted in Parliament with the votes of (468) of our 600 members of Parliament is also in line with the general framework agreed upon in the sixth section of the report. This figure reflects in politics the overwhelming majority of the nation’s support for terror-free Türkiye. There may be different views within the political parties, but the figure of (468), which was well above even our expectations, is a number rarely seen or achieved. This is very important. I believe it should be understood as a reflection in politics of the support expressed by the people.”

Kurtulmuş said all segments of Turkish society had had enough of terrorism, adding that festivals were now being held in the Gabar and Cudi mountains in southeastern Türkiye, a region that was plagued by PKK terrorism for years. He said these were areas that no one had previously been able to enter and that no one had been injured there for two years. He said investment opportunities in the region had improved as conditions became more peaceful, adding, “Society as a whole has embraced this atmosphere of peace and tranquility. This is its reflection in politics.”

He emphasized that they had taken certain sensitivities into consideration throughout the process, noting that it was important to be able to take actions and make decisions that would be accepted by the collective conscience of society. He stressed the importance of acting in a way that would never hurt the feelings of the families of fallen soldiers, veterans, or the people who had strongly supported the fight against terrorism, adding that they had taken this into account from the outset, both in the commission’s work and in the drafting of the legislation.

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Lawmakers began their delayed summer recess on Tuesday, concluding a legislative term that ended with the passage of one of the most anticipated laws of the year.

The General Assembly of Parliament worked into the late hours of Monday and passed the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion as part of the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which aims for the complete dissolution of the terrorist group PKK.

During the 28th parliamentary term, lawmakers discussed and approved 21 bills, five presidential decrees and two decrees issued by the Office of the Parliamentary Speaker. Parliament also ratified 15 international agreements. Lawmakers will return to Parliament on October 1.

Parliament was initially scheduled to begin its recess on July 1, but the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) pushed forward bills on critical social issues, leading to the postponement of the recess. Parliament also remained in session longer than expected in 2025, as a parliamentary committee established as part of the terror-free Türkiye process held sessions. Since July 1, the General Assembly has approved seven bills, one presidential decree and ratified one international treaty.

Among the bills approved by Parliament were legislation to improve the rights of specialist sergeants and the functioning of the judiciary, amendments to the Higher Education Law that included provisions for a student amnesty, amendments to the Child Protection Law, and legislation aimed at improving the rights of the families of terror victims and veterans.

A presidential memorandum concerning the extension of the Turkish Armed Forces’ mission in Somalia for another two years was also approved by the General Assembly. In addition, the Law Approving the Agreement between Türkiye and the Secretariats of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement on the 31st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, the 8th Session of the Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement, the Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies, and Other UNFCCC Meetings was adopted.

During the legislative year, the General Assembly enacted 21 bills concerning, among other matters, traffic fines, the extension of paid maternity leave, agriculture and forestry, the security forces, tax regulations and judicial packages, as well as 15 international agreements.

Parliamentary resolutions concerning attacks on humanitarian aid flotillas heading to Gaza and the armed intervention carried out by the Israeli military against the Global Sumud Flotilla were unanimously adopted by the General Assembly.

Presidential memoranda concerning the extension of the deployment periods of Turkish troops were also approved: the mission in Lebanon was extended by two years, those in Iraq and Syria by three years, the mission in Libya by 24 months, the mission in the Gulf of Aden by one year, and the mission in Somalia by two years.

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Almost one year after his last visit and many developments later, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to visit Türkiye, where he will meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Burhanettin Duran, head of the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, announced Tuesday that Abbas would embark on a three-day official visit at Erdoğan’s invitation. During their meeting, Erdoğan and Abbas will exchange views on the latest developments in Palestine, bilateral relations and regional developments, Duran added.

Palestinian media outlets reported that Abbas would arrive in Türkiye later Tuesday and brief Erdoğan on the situation in Gaza, settler attacks in the West Bank and the expansion of illegal settlements.

Abbas is known for his historic speech before the Turkish Parliament in 2024, in which he emphasized that the Palestinian people would stand tall despite Israeli strikes.

The Israeli army has killed more than 73,000 people and injured over 174,000 others in a brutal offensive in Gaza since October 2023.

Despite a cease-fire that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, as part of the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, Israel has continued its daily attacks, killing at least 1,258 people and wounding 4,139 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The second phase of Trump’s plan, which was also backed by Türkiye, envisages transferring the administration of Gaza to a Palestinian technocratic committee, deploying an international stabilization force and placing weapons under the responsibility of the National Committee for Gaza Administration under international supervision, alongside a phased Israeli withdrawal and reconstruction efforts.

On Sunday, Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to the road map agreed on with mediators and the Board of Peace to complete the second phase of Trump’s plan for Gaza.

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Qatar threw its support Tuesday behind a new trilateral defense pact linking Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, portraying the agreement as a positive step toward greater regional cooperation and stability.

“We welcome any regional cooperation that strengthens security, stability and defense among the countries of the region,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari told a weekly news conference in Doha.

“Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye are countries with which we have strategic relations and fraternal ties based on a shared destiny and common concerns,” he added.

“For the security of our region and the security of the world, we fully positively view any defense framework based on cooperation and good-neighborly relations,” Al-Ansari said.

He stressed that “regional security is a collective responsibility that requires regional coordination and cooperation.”

Last Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the pact in the holy city of Mecca.

The agreement is part of defense cooperation that does not target any country but seeks to strengthen commitments to preserving peace, stability, and prosperity at the regional and global levels, based on burden-sharing and a common understanding of security.

It aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack on any of the three countries would be considered an attack on all three.

The agreement also includes defense arrangements under which the three countries will support one another’s security, develop cooperation in the defense industry, and enhance military interoperability.

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Parliament was almost full in the early hours of Tuesday as lawmakers voted on a law for the dissolution of the PKK terrorist group, with a rare record of 467 submitting a “yes.”

The General Assembly convened for a lengthy deliberation early Monday with almost all lawmakers attending the session on the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion.

The law brings deferral for prosecution and sentencing of members of the terrorist group, which agreed to dissolve itself in 2025. It had its fair share of detractors in the ranks of the opposition parties, and the vote also laid bare the divide even within parties. Still, the consensus was almost unprecedented in the session of the 600-seat Parliament.

“What is particularly important here is establishing a sound and sustainable balance between security and freedom, public order and democratic politics, and the security of the state and citizens’ sense of belonging,” Zakir Avşar, a professor from Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, told Daily Sabah.

The adoption of the legislation alone will not determine the outcome of the process, Avşar said, stressing that its implementation will be the critical factor in determining whether the initiative succeeds.

According to the expert, the next phase should remain firmly grounded in the rule of law, while maintaining coordination among state institutions and safeguarding public order. Clear, measured and transparent communication will also be essential to maintaining public confidence and securing broader social support for the process.

Only the Good Party (IP), which has long conditioned itself to reject any move to end PKK terrorism, claimed that the terror-free Türkiye initiative, which gave birth to the law, was a concession to the terrorist group. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) that proposed the law cast 268 “yes” votes while 44 lawmakers from its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) approved the law.

Avşar also cautioned against reducing the “terror-free Türkiye initiative” to partisan politics or short-term political debates.

While describing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as the driving force behind the vision and the AK Party as the political actor that has spearheaded the initiative, he argued that permanently ending terrorism should ultimately be regarded as a national achievement rather than a victory for any single political party or group.

“The success of this process should therefore be measured not by the political advantage it provides to one side over another, but by its contribution to Türkiye’s common future.”

A total of 35 lawmakers from the main opposition New Party voted in favor of the law while 55 lawmakers from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), which is linked to the PKK, also voted yes. Twenty-nine lawmakers of the former main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) voted in favor. Similarly, the New Path Party cast 16 votes in favor.

Opposition divided over bill

The bill was also the first real test of the unity of the New Party, which was established last month by former CHP Chair Özgür Özel, who was ousted from his party over allegations of vote-buying. Özel announced he would vote yes hours before the session, but YP lawmakers overwhelmingly opposed the law. Almost every lawmaker from the party announced within hours in their social media posts that they would vote against the law, leaving Özel and a bunch of his deputies alone at the “yes” camp.

Avşar said differing positions within the opposition should ideally be viewed as competing approaches to managing Türkiye’s broader transformation rather than simply as part of a political confrontation. However, he argued that opponents of the process had so far failed to make a convincing case for their position.

Instead, he said, some of the opposition appeared to be seeking to consolidate voters who are skeptical of the initiative and turn those concerns into political advantage.

Despite political disagreements, the expert argued that ending terrorism should be treated as a national objective that transcends party competition.

“The end of terrorism should not be regarded as the success of any single political party, but as a shared achievement of the nation.”

Özel also incurred outrage among supporters, with social media users accusing him of political maneuvering, with messages of “shame on you” piling up. Social media users questioned how Özel was supposed to unite the opposition to the incumbent government with such a wide difference of opinion among the YP’s lawmakers. Supporters of New Path, including local branches of the party, also voiced their opposition to their leader Mahmut Arıkan endorsing the bill.

Avşar added that political actors should focus on strengthening the conditions necessary to permanently end terrorism, while criticism should help ensure that the process remains within the rule of law, upholds democratic standards and takes public sensitivities into account.

The existence of different views is therefore not a problem in itself, he stated. The greater risk would be allowing what he described as a historic opportunity for Türkiye to become overshadowed by short-term political calculations.

Avşar described the process as a historic opportunity to strengthen Türkiye’s capacity for lasting domestic peace, arguing that permanently ending terrorism could have implications far beyond security.

“A terror-free Türkiye would not be a victory for one political camp, but a gain for all of us.”

On Wednesday, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi will hold a meeting with governors of 81 provinces for coordinating the next stage of the terror-free Türkiye initiative. Interior Ministry said the meeting would focus on monitoring the process at the provincial level, social cohesion of surrendered members of the PKK, and enforcement of public order. Kurtulmuş, who led the parliamentary leg of the initiative, Çiftçi, who oversees law enforcement, will also discuss with governors possible provocations to undermine the process and combatting disinformation.

The law covers most PKK members who will be able to benefit from its advantages only after the National Security Council formally declares that the PKK dissolved itself and abandoned arms. After the declaration, PKK members will have six months to apply. In return, they will have their prosecution postponed for a period between five and ten years, based on the severity of offenses they have committed while they were a member of the PKK. The PKK’s senior cadres and members involved in intentional murder and other violent crimes will be exempt from leniency.

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