Erdoğan’s advisor denies rift with nationalist ally over Öcalan remarks

Presidential advisor Mehmet Uçum has dismissed claims of a disagreement between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli over Bahçeli’s recent remarks on the Kurdish issue.

During a broadcast on Ekol TV, Uçum clarified that Bahçeli’s suggestion that imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan might speak in parliament to declare the group’s disbandment was hypothetical and legally implausible. “For such a scenario to happen, the state would have to establish the legal framework,” he said, adding that such an act would be contingent on achieving a “Turkey without terrorism.”

“Bahçeli outlined conditions: the PKK would have to disarm and surrender. If these were met, the idea of Öcalan making a statement and a ‘right to hope’ could be discussed. This is an extreme hypothetical example, and legally, it is currently not possible,” Uçum said.

‘No disagreement within the alliance’

Uçum also rejected speculation that Bahçeli made his statements without Erdoğan’s knowledge. “There is an extraordinary level of harmony and cooperation between Bahçeli and President Erdoğan,” he remarked, adding, “The idea that Bahçeli’s comments were made without the president’s awareness is baseless and entirely provocative. It’s a narrative aimed at creating division.”

Speculation of discord between Erdoğan and Bahçeli emerged after Bahçeli’s remarks in October ignited debate about a potential new peace process regarding the Kurdish issue. Bahçeli had proposed that Öcalan, jailed since 1999, could declare the PKK’s dissolution from parliament under specific conditions, potentially earning him a chance for release under a “right to hope” provision.

While Erdoğan referred to Bahçeli’s proposal as a “historic opportunity” for peace, the government’s decision to remove three pro-Kurdish mayors and replace them with state-appointed trustees on Nov 4 fueled rumors of diverging opinions within the alliance. Some reports suggested Erdoğan was caught off guard by Bahçeli’s statements and found them unsettling.

However, some analysts argue these developments do not indicate a divide between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the MHP. Instead, they suggest the alliance may be pursuing a “carrot and stick” approach, combining gestures toward peace with crackdowns on pro-Kurdish political entities.

(VK)