MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli has proposed a new road map for Turkey’s “Terror-Free Türkiye” process, placing Abdullah Öcalan’s continued influence over the PKK at the center of the next phase.
In remarks to Türkgün, Bahçeli argued that the dissolution and disarmament of the PKK require a more coordinated mechanism, saying Öcalan’s authority over the organization should be maintained in a new form to prevent fragmentation, delays, or the emergence of splinter groups.
Bahçeli said the process had reached a critical stage after the PKK’s reported decision to dissolve itself and abandon armed struggle. He maintained that Turkey now needs a clear institutional framework to ensure that the organization’s members and regional branches fully comply with the disarmament process.
The most notable part of Bahçeli’s proposal is the creation of a new status for Öcalan, described as a “Peace Process and Political Transition Coordinator.” According to Bahçeli, this role would allow Öcalan to communicate with PKK members and affiliated structures in order to guide the organization’s final dissolution.
Bahçeli stressed that the proposed role would not mean recognizing Öcalan as a political representative of Kurds or as an advocate of ethnic rights. Instead, he framed it as a temporary and functional mechanism limited to the disarmament and liquidation of the PKK and its components.
The MHP leader argued that Öcalan’s influence over the organization has already been demonstrated during the process and should now be used more effectively. He warned that a fragmented approach could allow rival leaderships, foreign actors, or dissident factions to undermine the process.
Drawing comparisons with the Northern Ireland peace process, Bahçeli pointed to the emergence of the Real IRA as an example of how splinter groups can form when parts of an armed organization reject a settlement. He said a similar scenario must be prevented in the PKK’s case by keeping the process under a single, recognizable authority.
Bahçeli also proposed the establishment of new state mechanisms to monitor and manage the process. These would include a parliamentary follow-up commission involving parties represented in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, as well as an executive-level commission chaired by the vice president and involving key ministries and state institutions.
A proposed “State Coordination Center for Counterterrorism” would also help centralize communication, monitor disarmament, coordinate legal and administrative steps, and inform the public about developments.
Bahçeli insisted that the proposal should not be interpreted as bargaining with terrorism or granting concessions to the PKK. Rather, he described it as a practical mechanism to implement the organization’s declared decision to dissolve and lay down arms.
The proposal is likely to spark political debate, particularly because it calls for formally preserving and expanding Öcalan’s influence over the PKK at a time when the government and its allies present the process as a historic opportunity to end decades of armed conflict.
