Turkey passes Framework Law to shift Kurdish conflict toward regulated pacification

On August 10, Turkey’s parliament enacted the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion, a framework that moves the Kurdish question from military confrontation to a legally regulated pacification. The bill, approved by 467 votes, was supported by the AKP, MHP, DEM Party, Yeni Parti, TİP, EMEP, independents and a minority of CHP deputies, excluding only the Good Party. It mandates PKK disarmament, allows conditional release or suspension of prosecutions for Kurdish activists, but excludes those convicted before 2005 or serving aggravated life sentences.

The agreement strengthens the Erdoğan-Bahçeli coalition’s political position, limiting President Erdoğan’s ability to claim sole credit, while the opposition Yeni Parti, born from a split in the CHP, voted against parts of the law, weakening its standing among Kurdish voters. Although the law marks a historic step toward ending armed conflict, it provides no assurances on Kurdish cultural rights, local governance, or broader democratization, and coincides with intensified judicial actions against opposition mayors. The future hinges on whether the legal opening translates into genuine democratic space or remains a selective non-aggression pact under continued authoritarian rule.