An Öcalan summit at Beştepe? Striking claims regarding the Bahçeli-Erdoğan meeting: Will political permission be granted?

On July 10, 2025, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli held a surprise meeting at the Presidential Complex. The meeting was not announced to the public, but it caused significant repercussions behind the scenes. Following the meeting in question, experienced journalist Sabahattin Önkibar made striking claims on his YouTube channel.

CLAIM THAT “ÖCALAN IS ON THE AGENDA”

Drawing attention to the timing of the Bahçeli-Erdoğan meeting, Önkibar argued that the main issue might be related to opening a path to politics for Abdullah Öcalan. Önkibar stated, “This meeting, which coincides with the day the President said he would make a 'historic announcement,' could be a sign of a new process.”

Assessing that “political permission for Abdullah Öcalan, an amnesty, or similar regulations might be brought to the agenda. It is highly probable that Bahçeli was informed about such a matter in advance,” Önkibar made the following claims regarding the content of the meeting:

“Some say this announcement is about a new defense system. But Bahçeli would not be summoned to the Palace for such a technological development. Such announcements are saved for election periods to be converted into votes. An announcement made today would have no effect by the time of the election.”

DREW ATTENTION TO THE BAHÇELİ-ERDOĞAN RELATIONSHIP

Sabahattin Önkibar suggested that the meeting Bahçeli held with Erdoğan at the Palace would change political balances on its own, and used the following words:

“Bahçeli cannot separate from Erdoğan. He accepts whatever Erdoğan says. The ambiguous outbursts within the MHP are to appease the opposition. Furthermore, they are done so that if the tide turns one day, they can say, 'We had warned you.' But this meeting does not mean a crisis between the AKP and MHP.”