Turkey parliament passes PKK disbandment law
Analysis based on 7 articles · First reported Aug 10, 2026 · Last updated Aug 11, 2026
The passage of the law is expected to reduce political risk and military spending in Turkey, potentially boosting investor confidence and the lira. However, the full economic benefits depend on the successful implementation of the peace process and broader reforms.
On August 10, 2026, Turkey's parliament passed a landmark law establishing a legal framework for the disbandment and reintegration of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The legislation, approved by 468 votes in the 600-seat parliament, provides legal protections for many former militants who have not committed specific crimes and facilitates the suspension of prison sentences for some convicted of PKK membership. The law was supported by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling Turkey — Justice and Development Party, its nationalist ally Turkey — Nationalist Movement Party, and the pro-Kurdish Turkey — Peoples Equality and Democracy Party. This is the most concrete step in the peace process that began in October 2024 when Devlet Bahceli suggested Abdullah Ocalan could address parliament. Ocalan called for disarmament in February 2025, and the PKK announced an end to its armed struggle in May 2025, with militants symbolically burning weapons in northern Iraq. The conflict, which began in 1984, has killed over 40,000 people. The law does not resolve broader Kurdish demands for political and cultural rights or the status of Ocalan, imprisoned since 1999.
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