Turkish parliament passes landmark law to advance PKK peace process

Turkey's parliament passed a landmark law on Monday, establishing a legal framework for the disbandment of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). This legislation, approved by 468 votes, aims to end a decades-old conflict that has claimed over 40,000 lives since 1984.

• The new law provides legal protections for former militants who have not committed specific crimes and facilitates the suspension of prison sentences for some convicted of PKK membership, aiding their reintegration into society.
• This measure follows jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan's February 2025 call for the group to disarm and disband, and the PKK's subsequent May 2025 announcement to end its armed struggle.
• The process publicly began in October 2024, with a parliamentary commission recommending legislation to manage disarmament and reintegration.
• While a significant step towards a "terror-free Turkey," the law does not address broader Kurdish demands for expanded political and cultural rights or the status of Ocalan.