Erdogan ally floats releasing jailed pro-Kurdish leader Demirtas

Nov 4, 2025

Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), attends Century of Turkey meeting in Ankara, Turkey, October 28, 2022. REUTERS/Umit Bektas — UMIT BEKTAS

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Turkish nationalist party leader Devlet Bahceli, who is President Tayyip Erdogan's main parliamentary ally, said on Tuesday that it could be beneficial to release from prison the former pro-Kurdish party leader Selahattin Demirtas.

The surprise comment before reporters outside parliament came a year after Bahceli - who has in the past pushed for major policy changes from Erdogan - called for the beginning of a peace process with the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

(Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun; writing by Jonathan Spicer)