Türkiye Moves Ahead In Peace Process With Parliamentary Commission

Turkey’s ruling AK Party is preparing a new phase in the long-stalled “solution process,” with plans to establish a legal commission to draft legislation. The initiative comes amid renewed debate over Kurdish political rights, opposition demands for democratic reforms, and efforts to institutionalize a “terror-free Türkiye” framework.

AK Party Preparing Legal Commission

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is reportedly taking a concrete step toward reviving the peace process by forming a commission of legal experts tasked with drafting new legislation.

According to party sources:

• The commission will be chaired by Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader Abdulhamit Gül
• Members are expected to include Parliament Justice Commission Chair Cüneyt Yüksel and other senior party officials
• The work will be based on the “Terror-Free Türkiye Report” submitted to parliament

The goal is to produce a framework law that would guide the next phase of the process.

Legislative Timeline and Political Coordination

The government aims to move quickly:

• Core legislation is expected to be finalized before parliament’s summer recess in July
• Broader consultations with opposition parties are planned as the process evolves
• Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş is expected to play a facilitating role

Details of the draft law are expected to become clearer once the text is shared publicly.

DEM Party Sets Conditions for Progress

The pro-Kurdish DEM Party has outlined its expectations, emphasizing that legal guarantees—not political rhetoric—are essential.

Co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları stated that:

• The Kurdish issue must be resolved through democratic and political channels
• A Peace Law should be enacted
• Trustee (kayyım) appointments must end
• Barriers to democratic politics should be removed
• Prison-related reforms must be implemented

“Society believes not in promises, but in legal guarantees,” Hatimoğulları said, stressing that the process has reached a decisive stage.

CHP Signals Conditional Support

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has adopted a cautiously supportive stance.

Key points include:

• CHP has largely approved the commission’s draft report framework
• Party leader Özgür Özel described participation as a matter of “historical consistency”
• However, CHP demands:
  • Transparency in the process
  • Decisions taken with qualified majority
  • Strong emphasis on rule of law and democratization

CHP’s Core Demands

• Compliance with European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and Constitutional Court rulings
• Review of anti-terror laws (TMK) and criminal code provisions
• Ending trustee appointments to municipalities
• Addressing the status of political detainees

CHP’s final support will depend on whether the proposed legislation meets these criteria.

A Critical Turning Point

The renewed initiative suggests Ankara is attempting to:

• Institutionalize a long-discussed “terror-free Türkiye” vision
• Shift the process from political messaging to legal implementation
• Build broader political consensus ahead of future elections

However, significant differences remain between political actors over the scope and depth of reforms required.