The biggest problem in the process is the existence of the regime

Öncü Durmuş

As the peace process entered a new phase following the PKK's decision to lay down its arms, the DEM Party delegation increased its visits to Imralı throughout the week. Discussions on the planned commission to be established in parliament were reported positively in the media, and yesterday, TBMM President Numan Kurtulmuş met with representatives of political parties.

The meeting was attended by DEM Party Parliamentary Group Deputy Chair Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, CHP Group Deputy Chair Murat Emir, İYİ Party Group Deputy Chair Murat Kavuncu, Yeni Yol Party MP Mehmet Emin Ekmen, MHP Group Deputy Chair Erkan Akçay, and AKP Group Deputy Chairs.

At the meeting, the İYİ Party announced that it would not appoint any members to the commission. In addition, it was decided that the commission would not be established by law, but rather on the initiative of the Speaker of Parliament.

Meanwhile, it was learned that the commission is expected to consist of at least 44 members and that the outcome of the meeting will be recorded in writing.

APPROACHES DIFFER

The uncertainties surrounding the latest stage of the process continue to linger. In the process that began as a result of the US and Israeli-led transformation in the Middle East, the differences between the Palace regime and the Kurdish movement continue to be debated.

While the ruling coalition sees the process as a means of maintaining its own existence and establishing a new regime in the country, the Kurdish movement remains cautious.

With renewed clashes in Syria and increased operations against the opposition within the country, the future of the ongoing process is a subject of heated debate.

On the other hand, despite stepping up its ‘Turkey without terrorism’ propaganda as a result of increased talks, the palace regime is unable to overcome the crisis of hegemony it faces within the country.

On one side, the Palace administration is delivering speeches about democracy, while on the other, its desire to break the DEM Party away from the opposition front is clear for all to see.

Yüksel Genç, Director of Socio-Political Field Research, and Sinan Çiftyürek, DEM Party MP for Van, assessed the developments on the Kurdish movement front in light of all this.

THEY ARE NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

Looking at the breaking points in the past, Genç emphasised that the ruling coalition has not yet reached a point where it is taking bold responsibility, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding issues such as negotiations on the laying down of arms, the return of guerrilla fighters to the country and assurances that they will be able to engage in politics, as well as the situation of political prisoners.

Stating that no ground has been established that transcends the state's security policies on the issue of freedom and democracy, Genç said, ‘The system and the regime are operating with an increasingly authoritarian outlook. No expectation has been raised that the ruling party will take responsibility for the concrete aspects of the process.’

Genç said, ‘A cautious approach continues from the point of view of the Kurdish people. However, at this point, the PKK’s laying down of arms has increased the confidence of the people somewhat. The laying down of arms has had a constructive and empowering aspect. However, the lack of even the slightest step towards democratisation in the country and the failure to provide a legal framework for the process have led the people to maintain their cautious approach.

On the other hand, Genç stated that the regime wants to use the process to shape the opposition, saying, "The ruling coalition is trying to discipline the opposition with different demands in order to bring it into line with the regime they want. Erdoğan's recent alliance announcement also revealed his desire to shape the opposition front. Therefore, they are trying to carve out part of the process for that purpose. We also see efforts to set limits on the opposition through actors such as Selvi."

A LINE THAT GOES BEYOND THE REGIME IS IMPORTANT

However, there are still aspects of the Kurdish issue that remain at the forefront of current politics. In other words, from the regime's perspective, it may be necessary to avoid letting temporary and circumstantial efforts ruin the process. This is possible by not getting stuck on the regime, but by establishing a political line that goes beyond it.

No matter what the government says, it is important to establish a hegemony that will make the understanding of a democratic and free country prevail. To give a clearer example, CHP Leader Özgür Özel's insistence on democracy is very valuable at this point. If you spread this to the grassroots and transform it into a transformative form, the validity of the Palace's agenda will also disappear; the people's agenda could actually become the opposition's agenda.

DEM Party Van Deputy Sinan Çiftyürek also reported some confused and anxious sentiments among the Kurdish people. Saying that the process still does not even have a name, Çiftyürek said, “The laying down of arms is the only tangible thing so far. That is very good. However, the government still has no legal or official framework.”

Çiftyürek said there were reactions to the commission expected to be established in parliament, adding, "First of all, this commission is not being established by law. It will be established under the authority of the President of Parliament. On the other hand, it is not clear what will be discussed here. So what do we expect from this commission? Will the commission discuss democracy, the Kurdish question or technical issues? None of this is clear.‘

REMINISCING IS NOT ENOUGH

Çiftyürek continued his speech as follows: ‘The other day, Erdoğan talked about the white Toros cars and the unsolved murders of the past. But again, there is no follow-up to this. These are just statements. Saying ‘what happened in Roboski was wrong’ does not solve the problem.

The fact that the content of the positive developments in the ongoing talks is not fully known is fuelling cautious approaches. In this sense, the ruling coalition is neither able to fully address the Kurdish issue nor completely abandon it.

The main reason for this is that in the Middle East, an equilibrium cannot be established without the Kurdish movement. Erdoğan's reference to ‘Kurdish, Turkish, Arab’ unity is a reflection of the ruling coalition's ambitions in South and West Kurdistan, Mosul and Aleppo. However, it is also clear that just as they made peace with the Kurdistan Federal, they must now accept Kurdish status in the region. Otherwise, the dreams of annexing the region will prevent peace from coming.

Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Sürecin en büyük sorunu rejimin varlığı, published in BirGün newspaper on July 19, 2025.