Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli on Tuesday at the Presidential Complex in Ankara to address significant domestic and regional issues. The primary focus of their discussion was Türkiye’s ongoing “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, aimed at putting an end to decades-long terrorism challenges in the country, as well as the potential drafting of a new constitution.
The “terror-free Türkiye” initiative gained momentum following a pivotal call by Bahçeli in 2024, urging imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan to advocate for the disarmament of the group. This call led Öcalan to issue a disarmament appeal in February 2025, kickstarting a process that Türkiye is now considering supporting through legal measures. These measures could include offering leniency to PKK members not involved in terrorist activities.
In addition to domestic concerns, Erdoğan and Bahçeli’s meeting also touched on regional developments. The Türkiye-Libya maritime boundary agreement, recently ratified by Libya’s House of Representatives, was a topic of interest. Other potential agenda items included the Mecca motion set to be presented to the Turkish Parliament and the Badr Memorandum.
This meeting marked the fourth interaction between Erdoğan and Bahçeli this year, with previous discussions having taken place on January 21, April 30, and August 26. The continued dialogue between the two leaders underscores the importance of strategic collaboration in addressing both national security and regional geopolitical matters.