Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and a long-time ally of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), issued a notable statement on the occasion of 19 May, Atatürk Memorial, Youth and Sports Day. In his address, he proposed the formation of a parliamentary commission to guide Turkey through a new phase in the peace process following the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) recent declaration of organisational dissolution and the end of armed struggle.
Bahçeli described the current moment as “delicate, fragile, and demanding patience,” calling on all political actors to act responsibly and avoid inflammatory rhetoric. He emphasised the importance of broad consensus and unity, warning against division.
Framing the PKK’s 12 May announcement as a historic turning point, Bahçeli proposed the creation of a “National Unity and Solidarity Commission for a ‘Terror-Free’ Turkey.” He suggested the body should comprise 100 members, representing all 16 political parties in the Grand National Assembly (TBMM), and function transparently and inclusively.
He outlined seven key principles for the proposed commission:
1.Representation from every party with at least one member.
2.Additional seats allocated according to party strength.
3.Each party to nominate two subject-matter experts.
4.The commission to determine its own procedures.
5.The Speaker of Parliament to chair the body.
6.Decisions to be made by simple majority.
7.Final proposals to be submitted to Parliament for legislation.
Bahçeli framed this initiative within a broader historical and strategic narrative, praising the Turkish state’s recent moves as autonomous and constructive. He welcomed the disarmament statement by the PKK and Abdullah Öcalan’s accompanying call from İmralı as positive steps. Declaring that “there is no turning back,” Bahçeli warned that attempts to obstruct the process would carry serious consequences.
Quoting nationalist thinker Ziya Gökalp on Turkish–Kurdish ties, Bahçeli stated: “We are one, together, and brothers. We are the Turkish nation.” He closed his speech by honouring Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s legacy, saying that the 106th anniversary of the 19 May landing in Samsun should be a rallying point for peace, strength, and national renewal.
Ziya Gökalp (1876–1924) is regarded as a principal architect of Turkish nationalism and a foundational figure in the modern Turkish Republic. A sociologist and political theorist from Diyarbakır (Amed), Gökalp promoted a version of cultural nationalism based on shared civilisation and values, rather than ethnicity. His concept of Turkishness was envisioned as a civic identity capable of uniting diverse communities. Bahçeli’s reference to Gökalp aligns with the MHP’s ideological tradition and signals an effort to frame Turkish–Kurdish unity as part of the national story.
Why 19 May Matters
19 May 1919 marks the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence, when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk arrived in Samsun to mobilise resistance against foreign occupation following the Ottoman Empire’s collapse in World War I. The day is commemorated as the symbolic starting point of the Turkish Republic. By issuing his statement on 19 May, Bahçeli evokes this founding moment—suggesting that the Republic’s second century could begin with renewed unity and cooperation, including with Kurds. His message implicitly advocates a new social compact to replace conflict with coexistence.
