Following talks held as part of the process dubbed “Turkey Without Terrorism” by the government and “Peace and a Democratic Society” by the DEM Party, the framework bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament next week. Speaking after meeting with party leaders, Grand National Assembly Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said, “This legislation will in no way constitute a general amnesty or an amnesty for any individual.”

Whilst the government is taking a measured approach to the process, the Kurdish wing is calling for the legislative measures to be implemented as soon as possible. Reacting to the government’s ‘stalling’ strategy, the DEM Party and Kandil argue that discussions regarding the framework bill and the process cannot be confined solely to a ‘disarmament or repentance’ law.

SECURITY-FOCUSED

Whilst discussions and expectations continue, Associate Professor Dr Vahap Coşkun, summarising the two-year status of the process, said, “Significant developments have taken place during this process. At this stage, a consensus has been reached between the state and Öcalan regarding the enactment of the law. The law will likely be tabled in Parliament within the coming week, and following the necessary procedures, it will be passed before Parliament adjourns.”

Coşkun, noting that the framework bill would not include a democratic solution, said, “This bill is entirely security-focused. It will contain no provisions relating to a democratic solution. It will set out the conditions under which PKK members must lay down their arms. The bill needs to be drafted not merely as a measure for laying down arms, but in conjunction with social integration. If the bill is structured in this way, I believe it will contribute to Turkish democracy in the medium to long term. There are steps that need to accompany this bill in Turkey. No legislative changes are required to take these steps. For example, I believe that if steps such as the implementation of ECHR and Constitutional Court rulings, the withdrawal of trustees, and the improvement of conditions for detainees in prisons are taken, public confidence in the process will increase further,” he stated.

Stating that he does not foresee a consensus on a new Constitution in the coming period, Coşkun said, “No constitutional amendment is required in the context of implementing the process, and there is no demand for one. “The AKP has wanted to draft a new constitution for years. However, when this comes onto the agenda, everyone will put their own cards on the table. Whilst the AKP wants a new constitution, Erdoğan may wish to make changes regarding the length of his term of office. In response, the DEM Party may also demand regulations concerning the concept of citizenship, cultural rights, education and local government. For this reason, I do not see a constitutional agenda within the current process,” he said.

BUTTONED UP WRONG

DEM Party MP Sinan Çiftyürek, noting that the process was not initiated by the government with the intention of resolving the Kurdish issue, said: “At the heart of the matter lies the Kurdish issue, yet when the resolution process was launched, the phrase ‘Turkey without terrorism’ was used directly. The state buttoned up the first button of this process incorrectly, and the process continues in this vein. Today, the People’s Alliance believes that the four key perceived threats that originally drove it towards the resolution process have either weakened or disappeared. Firstly, what the state feared did not happen in Rojava, and the Kurds’ status has been dismantled. Secondly, the Kurds in Iran have not been granted any status. Thirdly, on 23 April, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan renewed the strategic agreement between the UK and Turkey in London. Finally, a vision was set out for Turkey at the NATO Summit. Turkey is taking on a role here and does not want the NATO-EU alliance to exert any pressure for it to democratise,” he said.

Noting that the framework bill, expected to be tabled in Parliament next week, contains no solution, Çiftyürek said, “If you ask what exactly is in the forthcoming bill, there is no resolution to the Kurdish issue or the elimination of its consequences. There are no steps towards eliminating similar outcomes, such as the release of Öcalan and Demirtaş, the resolution of the issue of appointed administrators, or the creation of a space for civil political life. “What is coming is a framework bill limited solely to the laying down of arms,” he added.

IT WON’T WORK WITH THIS REGIME

Stating that a joint democratic process cannot be advanced with the Palace regime, Çiftyürek noted the following: “It is impossible to produce an example of Turkey’s democratisation from the People’s Alliance. The Turkish people and the Kurdish people must unite in their demand for democracy. The People’s Alliance is pursuing two policies to neutralise the opposition. To lock the CHP into its own ranks and to leave Kurdish politics in a state of uncertainty. They are trying to prevent the DEM Party from opposing them. The course of action is clear: Turkey’s democratic forces must act in unison. Turkey’s democratic forces and the Kurdish people must reach at least a minimal consensus on their vital demands and fight together.”

Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Bu çerçeveden demokrasi çıkmaz, published in BirGün newspaper on July 24, 2026.