If all goes to plan, over 29 years of violence in Turkey between government forces and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has cost over 40,000 lives, will soon come to a close. Past attempts at peace have failed, but there is reason for optimism this time. The most hopeful aspect of the current effort is the regional context in which it is unfolding, including developments in Iraq and Syria. The other cause for optimism is Erdoğan himself. He has staked his political future on the success of the peace process and is therefore unlikely to allow it to fail.