Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has said a long-awaited legislative proposal tied to the government’s anti-terror campaign is expected to be jointly submitted to parliament this week.
“The legislative proposal, one of the important pillars of this process, will hopefully be submitted to the parliament as a joint proposal by our parties next week and will be adopted with the overwhelming support of our lawmakers following debate, allowing us to take another significant step forward,” Kurtulmuş said on Aug. 1 at an event in Istanbul.
The legislation follows months of consultations led by him with representatives from all major political parties in parliament except the İYİ (Good) Party. The talks were held before the then-main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) split, leading to the formation of the New Party, which has not yet been consulted on the initiative.
The government’s initiative gathered momentum after PKK announced in May 2025 that it had ended its armed campaign and dissolved its organizational structure. Following the announcement, parliament established the 51-member National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission to oversee the political dimension of the process. The commission includes representatives from all major political parties except the İYİ Party.
Kurtulmuş said ending the decades-long conflict would mark a historic turning point for the country.
“Terrorism claimed the lives of tens of thousands of our people over more than 40 years and caused an economic loss of approximately $2.3 trillion for Türkiye. We are leaving all of this behind,” he said.
“The scenario of imperialism has been left behind. With this nation charting its own course, the wisdom of the state and the conscience of the people have come together, and significant progress has been made toward a terror-free Türkiye.”
Separately, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Aug. 1 pledged not to allow attempts to derail the process.
“We will act with common sense, prudence and patience. Without yielding to provocations, we will, God willing, bring this process to its destination,” Erdoğan said during an event in Istanbul.
“Our aim is to remove the obstacle of terrorism and prepare Türkiye for the future in an atmosphere of brotherhood, unity, integrity and strengthened peace. Our responsibility is great, and our burden is heavy, but if we approach this issue with courage and determination, I believe no one will be able to prevent us from reaching our goal.”
The draft bill is expected to be voted on by Aug. 14, before the parliament goes on summer recess, according to sources from Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The unpublished blueprint defines the PKK as a defunct terrorist group and proposes that its members who have not committed major crimes be placed on probation, daily Hürriyet has reported.
However, those who have committed serious crimes and are serving life sentences will not be covered under the draft law. PKK members will also be subject to a five-year supervision period, during which they will be banned from holding political office or working in the public sector.
This temporary law will remain in effect for six months, according to the report.
