Will Turkey Ever Join the EU?

May 13th, 2011 • No Comments

Turkey has been flirting with European integration since it applied to be part of the European Economic Community in 1959. Despite applying to join the European Union in 1987 and not beginning its formal application process until 2005, Turkey is no where near close to being admitted to the EU for a variety of reasons. Many of these reasons have to do with how different Turkey is from the rest of the European Union, as it is a mix of European and Islamic cultures. As well, there is much political opposition to Turkey’s accession to the EU, again for a variety of reasons depending on where the opposition is coming from. The more that member countries protest the inclusion of Turkey in the European Union, the more that Turkey turns to the rest of the world to meet its needs and this is pulling Turkey away from Europe. Unless the EU shows Turkey that there is some part of the Union that is trying to help them and motivate them to continue their quest for membership, Turkey very well may never join the European Union.

Turkey’s culture is very different than the rest of the European Union. While there are significant Muslim populations in many countries in the EU, none are predominantly Islamic, as Turkey is. Often the EU is referred to as the ‘Christian Club’. The culture, the language and the social structures of Turkey are far more identifiable with the East than with the West. This is interesting, as Turkey is actually the most secular state in the vicinity of the European continent.
Although Turkey is a rich country in comparison with the Middle East, it is in fact rather poor compared to countries within the European Union. Turkey has a really low income per capita, and as such could bring down the general per capita income of the EU significantly because of the number of citizens.
Turkey also has had to address a number of human rights violations both within the military and in the constitution. There are many different things that are still sore points for Turkey with the rest of the EU, such as extending rights to minority groups within Turkey as well as the topic of the Armenian genocide, which Turkey still refuses to acknowledge.

Many different countries and politicians are opposed to allowing Turkey to join the EU. Many will cite the fact that Turkey will not recognize Cyprus, a current European Union member, as a country. This is because of the long standing dispute on Cyprus over government, which is currently made up of Greek Cypriots despite the large Turkish minority on the island that is economically isolated. They also bring up the fact that the military has a long tradition in Turkey of appropriating power after elections that did not go the way that the military thought they should or when the government has seemed to abandon their secularism and role in promoting Westernization.

What many politicians are afraid of is power in the European Union shifting if Turkey were to join. Because of the size of the country Turkey would have more seats in the European Parliament than most if not all others, and that would make them a heavyweight in negotiations. This would shift the power into Turkey’s hands and away from the rest of the European powers who currently wield it. Another way that they could exert influence would be in the mass immigration that would probably happen from Turkey to the rest of the EU if the borders were ever opened. They fear the immigration because it will bring Islamic traditions to their countries as well as destroy the heritage and culture that exist elsewhere in the EU.

Because its’ application to the EU is progressing so slowly, Turkey has slowed its reforms that need to be made to comply with European Union standards. Instead, Turkey seems to be pursuing its relations with countries in the Middle East, such as Iran and Syria, more that those with Europe. This may be due to the current government being pro-Islamic, even within the secular framework of the country’s constitution. In turning its attention towards the Middle East, Turkey seems to be reestablishing its roots in Islam, which bothers the ‘Christian Club’, especially in France, where President Sarkozy said that “Turkey has no place inside the European Union” . This sentiment has been echoed around Europe by many different governments and populations in surveys, but for every country that opposes Turkey’s accession to the EU there is a country that supports it.

Turkey is the love child of European and Islamic culture, and often both criticize Turkey for being more of one side than the other. The treatment of Turkey in its bid for European Union membership has been in some instances fair (as with the human rights violations) and unfair (in the discrimination against the Islamic population). The longer that the EU holds Turkey at bay the less Turkey is going to want to join the Union, although Turkey will never give up its bid to do so. Having Turkey as part of the Union would very beneficial to the EU, as it would bridge the gap between Christian Europe and the Islamic Middle East. It would also serve to help the European Union become more accepting of different cultures and religions, both from without and within individual member countries. Unless the politicians who hold the reins to the EU acknowledge their prejudice against Turkey and actively try to change, Turkey very well may never become part of the European Union.

IMF Revision Surpasses Expectations

April 2nd, 2009 • No Comments

The foremost concern addressed at Thursday’s G20 summit was the role that the International Monetary Fund will play on the road to global economic recovery. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had in recent months called for an increase of $250 billion to the previous lending capacity of the same amount, effectively doubling the reserves. World leaders, finance ministers, and central bank managers from the Group of 20 developed and developing economies today agreed to increase the fund by $500 billion, to $750 billion. Continue reading ‘IMF Revision Surpasses Expectations.’

G20: Emerging Economies Gain Representation

March 23rd, 2009 • 2 Comments

At the upcoming G20 summit in London on April 2nd, there are promises that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will amend its representation regime to better include developing nations, an expert with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) says. Continue reading ‘G20: Emerging Economies Gain Representation.’

EU Meet to Discuss Financial Crisis

March 19th, 2009 • No Comments

The leaders of European Union (EU) member countries have convened today to begin a two-day conference ahead of the G20 summit in London on April 2nd. They convene to draw up a united European front for tackling the financial crisis, to be presented to the other members of the Group of 20 developed and developing economies. Continue reading ‘EU Meet to Discuss Financial Crisis.’