Gonul Tol: Erdoğan has big plans, but the Kurdish problem keeps getting in the way

Source:Financial Times Date:31Oct2024

All that needs to be said regarding peace with Kurds:

In reality, however, Erdoğan wants to trade on the war to achieve his own ends. One challenge Erdoğan faces is that Turkey’s constitution does not allow him to run for re-election in 2028.

Without a big enough parliamentary majority to change it, he needs support from the pro-Kurdish party to remain in power. To that end, Erdoğan recently initiated talks with the PKK’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan. Under his plan, Öcalan would announce the PKK’s disbandment and walk free. To silence critics, Erdoğan uses Israel’s war as cover and argues that Turkey must stand strong against regional disorder by making peace with the Kurds.