In brief
President Erdogan's recent push for peace with Kurdish groups may transform not just Turkish politics by generating domestic support, but also stabilize conflict areas in neighboring Syria, according to experts.
In a historic move, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey is engaging in negotiations for a peace deal with Kurdish militants, a development viewed as critical in addressing 40 years of conflict within Turkey. The recent call by Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), for his followers to cease hostilities marks a pivotal moment following extensive discussions aimed at overcoming the multifaceted challenges facing the Turkish government.Experts such as Asli Aydintasbas from the Brookings Institution believe this initiative could significantly bolster Erdogan’s power domestically by securing the Kurdish backing necessary for constitutional reforms that would allow him to extend his presidency—a position he has held for over two decades. Beyond domestic politics, this peace agreement holds the potential to relieve Turkey's military from ongoing engagements with Kurdish factions spread across Iraq, Syria, and Turkey itself. The regional implications are vast; should Kurdish forces in Syria also opt for a peaceable approach, it could foster stability in an allied but fragile Syrian government, presently grappling with a tumultuous landscape.Aydintasbas emphasizes the historical significance of Ocalan's appeal, framed within growing geopolitical tensions in the region that have created anxieties among both Turks and Kurds. She notes that external factors, including the turbulent onset of the Trump administration and the uncertain future of Syria, have reinforced Erdogan's need to stabilize his own territory, with a Kurdish peace deal representing a strategic way to achieve that.
