12th Congress Declares Historic Shift Toward Democratic Politics
In a landmark decision marking a turning point in the decades-long Kurdish conflict, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), an illegal entity in Turkey and several countries, has formally announced the end of its armed struggle and the dissolution of its organizational structure. The historic move was declared during the PKK's 12th Congress, held under challenging conditions between May 5–7, which concluded with a series of resolutions signaling a strategic shift toward democratic politics and peaceful resistance.
The declaration, released by the PKK Congress Presidium, stated that the organization's historical mission—founded in 1978 to resist what it described as Turkey's policies of denial and assimilation against the Kurdish people—has now been fulfilled. According to the statement, the Kurdish question has become a central political issue within Turkish society, making continued armed struggle unnecessary. As a result, the PKK decided to terminate all activities conducted under its name, redirecting efforts toward grassroots democratic mobilization and civil society engagement. This new phase will see the PKK engaging in political advocacy, community organizing, and civil rights activism, among other activities, to promote its vision of a democratic, ecological, and gender-liberated society.
Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned founder of the PKK who has long advocated for a peaceful resolution, will oversee the implementation of this new phase. His strategic vision, outlined in a February 27 announcement, was the ideological foundation for the Congress's decisions. Despite ongoing military operations, aerial and ground attacks, and blockades on Kurdish regions, the Congress was successfully held across two locations, with the participation of 232 delegates.
The statement traced the PKK's evolution from a Marxist-Leninist insurgency to a movement advocating for a democratic, ecological, and gender-liberated society. It highlighted key historical junctures, including the 1993 ceasefire attempt under President Turgut Özal, which collapsed due to state violence and entrenched nationalist opposition. The Congress reaffirmed Öcalan's call for a 'Democratic Republic of Turkey' based on equal citizenship and coexistence between Kurds and Turks, rooted in a reimagined framework of national identity. This vision entails a Turkey where all citizens, regardless of their ethnic or cultural background, have equal rights and opportunities, and where the Kurdish identity is respected and celebrated as an integral part of the nation.
A significant part of the declaration focused on reshaping Kurdish-Turkish relations in light of regional and global dynamics, particularly amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. The PKK expressed confidence that the Kurdish public, who endured decades of displacement, imprisonment, and extrajudicial killings, would understand and support this transition. It urged Kurdish political parties, civil society organizations, and intellectuals to take responsibility in advancing the process of democratic nation-building.
Additionally, the Congress honored two prominent fallen leaders: Ali Haydar Kaytan, killed in 2018 and symbolizing loyalty and sacred life, and Rıza Altun, killed in 2019 and representing comradeship and freedom. Their sacrifices were commemorated as emblematic of the broader struggle for Kurdish rights.
The PKK invited all sectors of Turkish society—including political parties, civil institutions, trade unions, women's groups, and international actors—to engage constructively in the peace process. It called for legal guarantees, political recognition, and societal solidarity to ensure a lasting democratic settlement. This invitation is a clear demonstration of the PKK's commitment to a peaceful resolution and its belief in the importance of broad societal participation in the peace process.
This strategic shift represents a major ideological and operational transformation for the PKK, signaling a move away from militarism toward a civilian-based democratic movement. Whether this decision translates into tangible political progress remains to be seen, but it undeniably opens a new chapter in the quest for peace in Turkey's Kurdish conflict.