Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan described the Parliamentary Commission’s decision to send a delegation to Imralı for a meeting with Abdullah Öcalan as a historic turning point in the eyes of political actors, adding that the step “should have been taken much earlier.” She stressed that engaging with Abdullah Öcalan is a strategic necessity for advancing the process and laying the foundations for lasting peace. Doğan also outlined the strategic rationale behind the decision, underscoring Öcalan’s central and indispensable role in driving the process forward.

Doğan said that any meaningful progress toward a political resolution and an end to conflict must be examined together with the historical trajectory of the issue, noting Öcalan’s critical position within this context.

Doğan recalled that Abdullah Öcalan had urged his organisation to end armed clashes and convene a dissolution congress and explained that his call paved the way for the destruction of weapons in Sulaymaniyah on 11 July, an act that publicly demonstrated the organisation’s intent to remove arms from the equation altogether.

Ayşegül Doğan stressed that Abdullah Öcalan’s role is central to any genuine democratic transformation, noting that despite years of isolation, his messages have consistently underlined that democratisation in Turkey cannot be separated from the Kurdish question. Through this perspective, Doğan said that Öcalan has acted as a political leader who has shaped the path toward democratic change.

Doğan pointed to Öcalan’s long-standing analyses of the Middle East and the accuracy of his projections, even at times when current developments were barely imaginable, saying that these insights continue to offer meaningful guidance for understanding ongoing conflicts. She said, “Without hearing this leadership perspective, it becomes almost impossible for the process to gain strength in a healthy way or to advance with a different pace and momentum.”

From a conflict-resolution standpoint, Ayşegül Doğan argued that the meeting with Abdullah Öcalan is also a mechanism that reduces risk. Doğan said, “This moment represents an opportunity. What can strengthen that opportunity is activating every necessary mechanism and avoiding any further hesitation in doing so.”

CHP’s decision is a rejection of a historic mission

Although the commission’s decision is widely viewed as a turning point, Ayşegül Doğan noted that the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) created another significant rupture by choosing not to join the delegation. She said the move cannot simply be described as a tactical mistake, but rather as a refusal to assume a historic mission.

Doğan argued that CHP has failed to fulfill the role expected of it, recalling the view that “as the founding party of the Republic, it should undoubtedly have been part of this commission.” She defined this expectation not as a procedural obligation, but as “the necessity of standing at the forefront of the struggle for peace and democracy.”

Doğan also emphasised that the process must unfold transparently, under the roof of Parliament, and through political decision-making, adding that CHP’s decision effectively removes the party from the broader effort toward social engagement.

Ayşegül Doğan said that CHP Chair Özgür Özel’s remark, “We have said that there is a Kurdish question, and we stand by that”, is insufficient. Simply “standing there”, she argued, is not enough, and she stressed that the party is expected to develop concrete political proposals for a solution. Doğan characterised CHP’s current stance as “a refusal to become one of the founding actors of the Republic’s second century,” adding that this refusal amounts to embracing a politics of inaction.

Doğan also noted that the limited participation of CHP and the Yeni Yol Group in the delegation could make it harder to reach the goal of a democratic republic in a context where different communities, including Kurds, Alevis and Armenians, do not yet feel like equal citizens.

Looking ahead, Doğan said the legislative and legal groundwork required by the process places an urgent responsibility on all political actors. Doğan said, “To make non-conflict permanent, to build a lasting peace, to ensure an equal, just and dignified life, and to sustain a shared vision for a democratic society, responsibilities fall on all of us, on every political party.”