The Turkish parliament, the Grand National Assembly, has passed a landmark law designed to advance the peace process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), according to a report by Reuters.

The legislation marks a significant legislative step in Ankara's effort to move the initiative forward. It provides the legal framework needed for the next stage of the process, which aims to end a conflict that has lasted for decades.

Reuters reported the development on the day of the parliamentary vote. The law's passage follows earlier moves in the peace initiative, including a declaration by the PKK in which the group announced it would dissolve and disband, and a subsequent commitment to lay down arms.

The new law addresses the legal status of militants who withdraw from the organization. Its practical effect is to create the statutory basis on which the government can implement the terms of the truce and manage the disarmament and reintegration stages that follow. For practitioners, the key point is that the measure removes a procedural obstacle: until now, the absence of dedicated legislation left the implementation of the process without a clear legal footing.

The peace process gained renewed momentum earlier this year when PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, imprisoned since 1999, called on the group to end its armed struggle and dissolve. In response, the PKK held a congress and declared that it had decided to dissolve, and it committed to handing over its weapons.

The conflict between the Turkish state and the PKK has lasted more than 40 years and has cost tens of thousands of lives. The legislative step taken by parliament now gives the government a formal instrument to carry the process forward.

For lawyers and compliance teams monitoring Turkey, the development signals a shifting legal environment. The PKK remains listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union. Any changes to the legal treatment of individuals connected to the group will proceed under the framework of the new law and subsequent implementing measures.

The report by Reuters did not state the exact vote count in parliament, nor did it detail the full text of the provisions. Further implementing steps are expected as the government moves to give effect to the legislation.

The passage of the law represents the most concrete legislative action to date in the renewed peace effort. Attention now turns to how the authorities will apply the new framework in practice, and what additional measures parliament may be asked to adopt as the process advances.