NEWS CENTER – The 12th Congress of the PKK, held from May 5–7, 2025, has officially marked the beginning of a new era, following Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s February “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society.” The congress declared that the ideological framework for this new phase will be shaped by Öcalan’s concept of Democratic Modernity.

 

The congress outcomes signify a historic turning point in the PKK’s 52-year history, as the organization announced a complete end to its armed struggle, describing it not as a tactical move but a fundamental ideological and organizational transformation. The shift emphasizes peaceful political engagement, grassroots organization, and intellectual production over military means.

 

In a March 2 statement, the PKK had already declared a ceasefire in response to call of Öcalan, describing his message as a “manifesto for the age” and stated: “we are declaring a ceasefire to be effective from today on. None of our forces will take armed action unless attacked. Beyond this, only the practical leadership of Leader Apo can make matters such as laying down arms practical.”

 

The congress, conducted under Öcalan’s ideological guidance, formalized this stance and closed what the group called “the era of armed resistance,” attributing leadership of the new peace-focused phase directly to Öcalan.

 

This shift comes at a time of intensifying geopolitical tension in the Middle East, which Öcalan’s call addresses by proposing a peaceful and democratic alternative. His message disrupts the prevailing regional narratives, offering a vision for radical societal transformation through non-violent means.

 

The congress emphasized that the new phase seeks not only to protect Kurdish identity but to build a democratic society — both within Turkey and across the Middle East. It calls for legal, political, and structural changes rooted in Öcalan’s long-term vision of peace, coexistence, and democratic autonomy.

 

In conclusion, the PKK’s 12th Congress symbolizes the end of an armed era and the start of a political one, with implications reaching far beyond the Kurdish issue. It marks the beginning of a new chapter — one that aspires to write the future through peace and democratic values.

 

MA / Özgür Paksoy