Turkey and ‘Kurdish Question’: Between European Demands and Internal Conflicts (2000 – early 2010s)

Abstract

The purpose of the research paper is to analyze the dynamics of the development of the ‘Kurdish Question’ in Turkey in the first decade of the 21^st century and to clarify the impact of Turkey’s European integration aspirations on its policy towards the Kurds, to identify changes in the strategies of Kurdish political movements and to characterize the intensification of the repressive policy of the Turkish state against the backdrop of growing discontent among the Kurdish population.

The scientific novelty is in the comprehensive analysis of the evolution of the ‘Kurdish Question’ in Turkey (2000 – early 2010s), which encompasses the interplay of domestic politics, the impact of European integration, and shifts in the strategies of Kurdish movements. The key stages of the reorientation of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) policy from liberalization under the influence of the EU to increased repression, the transformation of the tactics of Kurdish political forces, the causes and consequences of increased state pressure on the Kurds in the context of limited reforms, and the reaction of the Kurdish community to domestic political processes in Turkey are systematized.

Conclusions. The period from the 2000s to the early 2010s was characterized by complexity and ambiguity in resolving the ‘Kurdish Question’ in Turkey. The initially optimistic expectations regarding liberalization and a comprehensive settlement of the conflict, influenced by the country’s European integration ambitions, were not fully realized. The European Union played a significant role in stimulating the first reforms of the Turkish government in the fields of human rights and the protection of national minorities’ rights. However, the limitations and inconsistencies of those reforms, as well as the shift in the EU’s strategic priorities, did not lead to any fundamental changes in the situation regarding the Kurdish community.

Kurdish political movements, disillusioned with the effectiveness of external support and international legal mechanisms, gradually shifted their focus to more active participation in Turkey’s domestic political process.

The policy of the Justice and Development Party on the ‘Kurdish Question’ was contradictory. Along with declarations concerning the imperative to resolve the issue and specific symbolic actions in this regard, the government exhibited caution and inconsistency in real reforms, and subsequently, it initiated an escalation in repressive pressure on Kurdish political figures and activists. Accordingly, the growing discontent of the Kurdish population with the political course of the Turkish state found its expression in various forms of protest, which inevitably led to an increase in social tension in the Kurdish environment. The studied period became an important stage in shaping the dynamics of the ‘Kurdish Question,’ as unresolved problems and initiated trends significantly determined the subsequent development of the conflict.