The following report was written by Osman Sert, a Research Director at the Ankara Institute in Turkey. This assessment paper is highly topical considering the current political dynamics in Turkey. It analyses the current challenges faced by Turkey regarding the resolution of the Kurdish issue and discusses and evaluates potential solutions.
The author provides an overview of Turkey’s previous attempts at a resolution process, namely the lack of political clarity, unity and structure, and highlights the importance of avoiding similar problems in the future. These issues, as well as the ruling power’s refusal to recognise Kurdish issue, must be addressed to allow for a new and permanent resolution process to take place. The role of past geopolitical developments such as the Arab Spring and the Syrian conflict are also discussed, alongside the current prospects offered by the new Biden administration in the US. Moreover, the report addresses Turkey’s current political climate as a contributor to the issue, providing an assessment of the strengths and limitations of the ruling power and other opposition parties. It is indicated that the opposition is structurally and politically weak, and the various interviews quoted in the report discuss a popular belief that only President Erdoğan can instigate change.
The views and opinions expressed in the report remain those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DPI.