Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli convened at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Tuesday to deliberate on significant domestic and regional issues. Central to their discussions was Türkiye’s ongoing “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which seeks to eradicate decades-long terrorism in the country. Additionally, they focused on the efforts to draft a new constitution.
The “terror-free Türkiye” initiative gained momentum in 2024 after Bahçeli called on Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), to persuade the group to disarm. Öcalan responded to this call in February 2025, initiating a disarmament process. As part of the initiative, Türkiye is contemplating legal measures that might include leniency for PKK members who have not participated in terrorist activities.
Besides domestic concerns, regional developments were also on the agenda. The discussions likely included the Türkiye-Libya maritime boundary agreement, which was recently ratified by Libya’s House of Representatives. Other topics potentially covered were the upcoming Mecca motion, expected to be presented to the Turkish Parliament, and the Badr Memorandum.
This meeting marked the fourth interaction between President Erdoğan and Bahçeli this year, with previous discussions having occurred on January 21, April 30, and August 26. These regular meetings underscore the ongoing collaboration between the ruling party and its nationalist allies in navigating key political and security challenges facing Türkiye.