In a significant political meeting on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli convened at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. The discussions centered on Türkiye’s ongoing “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, a strategic effort aimed at eradicating terrorism, alongside plans for constitutional reforms.
The “terror-free Türkiye” initiative marks a pivotal moment in the country’s approach to combating terrorism. This initiative gained traction following Bahçeli’s influential call in 2024 for Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), to encourage the group to disarm. Öcalan’s subsequent disarmament call in February 2025 has initiated a process that Türkiye is looking to support through potential legal measures, including offering leniency to PKK members who have not been involved in terrorist activities.
Beyond domestic issues, regional developments featured prominently in the discussions. The Türkiye-Libya maritime boundary agreement, recently ratified by Libya’s House of Representatives, was expected to be a key topic of conversation. Additionally, the Mecca motion, anticipated to be presented to Parliament, and the Badr Memorandum were also likely on the agenda.
This meeting marks the fourth time Erdoğan and Bahçeli have met this year, following previous discussions on January 21, April 30, and August 26. These meetings underscore the ongoing collaboration between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the MHP, which plays a critical role in shaping Türkiye’s political landscape and addressing key national and regional issues.