DEM Party labels MHP’s "Terror-Free" report a disappointment

WISE NEWS PRESS / ANKARA, TURKIYE — DEC. 20, 2025

Tuncer Bakırhan, Co-Chair of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), has expressed profound disappointment over the 120-page "Terror-Free Turkiye" report submitted by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) to the Parliamentary Process Commission.

During a televised interview, Bakırhan pointed out a significant discrepancy between the recent "bold" and historic rhetoric of MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli and the actual content of the party's report. He noted that although 120 pages were submitted, approximately 100 pages were dedicated to claiming that a "Kurdish issue" does not exist, a stance he described as surprising and counterproductive to a genuine solution.

"Why negotiations if there is no issue?"

Bakırhan questioned the logic of the report, stating, "If there is no Kurdish issue, why was there a dialogue or negotiation? Why did visits to Imralı take place?" He argued that the presence of thousands of political prisoners and people in exile is direct evidence of the unresolved issue. While Bakırhan mentioned that they still want to trust the sincerity of Bahçeli’s recent overtures, he criticized the report for reverting to a restrictive and exclusionary language.

Evaluation of AK Party and CHP Reports

The DEM Party Co-Chair also analyzed the reports from other major parties. Regarding the AK Party's report, Bakırhan acknowledged a "pivotal shift" as it linked the Kurdish issue with democratization for the first time, though he admitted the content was not yet fully satisfactory. In contrast, he directed sharper criticism toward the Republican People's Party (CHP), calling their 53-page report a "lack of seriousness" for bundling the Kurdish issue together with technical topics like public procurement legislation.

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