Breaking off the accession negotiations to the EU could mean a new beginning – and motivate Erdogan to rethink his position.
(Photo: Reuters)
The European Commission’s Turkey Report is over a hundred pages long, but one sentence is enough to summarize the Brussels analysis: Turkey does not fit into the EU, at least for now. That is why the accession negotiations should be broken off.
Not to end relations with the country, but to start over.
In the area of democracy, there have recently been further setbacks, according to the assessment of the development of the country, which is still listed as a candidate for EU membership. Specifically, the EU Commission criticizes the fact that special powers for state authorities have a strong influence on democracy and fundamental rights.
In addition, the authority accuses Turkey, among other things, of continued pressure on civil society and mayors in opposition parties.
Top jobs of the day
Find the best jobs now and
be notified by email.
The Turkish leadership under President Erdogan no longer seems to notice in which direction they are actually maneuvering their country. Every political step is subordinate to maintaining power, even two years before the parliamentary and presidential elections.
Turkey is not interested in sharing values with the EU
You can twist and turn it however you want. The end result is the following: Turkey does not currently fit into the EU. Nevertheless, the accession negotiations continue – although everyone knows that nothing will come of it for the time being. That costs a lot of resources and funds.
Brussels and Ankara behave like a couple who can no longer get along and still do not part.
If Brussels breaks off accession negotiations, that will not mean the end of EU-Turkey relations. The collaboration has become unfairly transactional anyway: one side pays, the other delivers. The Turkish government has no interest in sharing values with the EU. That is why there is no need for an EU member Turkey.
Erdogan has been resting on candidate status since 2005 without making his country fit for real membership. Breaking off negotiations could motivate him to try again. There will be elections in Turkey in two years – and things are currently looking bad for Erdogan.
The European Commission has already taken a step towards demolition. It’s just a technocratic detail, but one with a signal effect. Since September, the Commission has no longer treated Turkey internally in the “candidate countries” category, but in the “neighboring countries” category.
More: The Turkish economy is growing – and that is exactly the risk