The precarious peace process between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is moving ahead amid a mixture of deep uncertainty and hopeful expectation, as a group of “Wise Persons” selected by the government continue to tour the country trying to sound out the public mood about the process and convince Turks and Kurds alike of its merits.

But with ultranationalists continuing to oppose the process vehemently, and to vilify the 63 “Wise Persons” comprising intellectuals, academics, journalist and well known names from the world of entertainment, the war of words between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is also seen to be escalating dangerously.

Meanwhile sympathizers and supporters of the MHP have started a campaign of heckling and hounding of members of the “Wise Persons” group in various cities and towns around the country, increasing concerns that Turkey may face ultranationalist violence aimed at trying to halt the peace process with the PKK.

A mass rally organized last weekend by the MHP in Izmir, one of the largest by this party to date, on the other hand, showed that ultranationalist sentiments may be spreading in a manner that Erdoğan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) can not afford to take lightly.