Türkiye's Democratic Evasions Resulted in Frozen EU Accession

Copyright OSMAN ORSAL/AP2006

The European Union reported that Türkiye’s accession process is frozen, mostly due to its stride towards authoritarianism in recent arrests of the three biggest opposition party leaders. Although the country is a key partner in such spheres as migration and has important geopolitical value, MEPs eventually decided that accession topics should be delayed until the situation improves.

The resolution with 367 votes in favor, 74 votes against, and 188 abstentions highlighted MEPs’ concerns over the respect for the rule of law, the freedom of speech, and the judicial autonomy of Türkiye. The document highlighted concern about Ankara’s international relations, especially its 5% alignment with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU in 2024.

The detention of the Istanbul mayor, a high-profile opposition figure who would be running in the next elections to become president, has not taken him aback despite the mass protests. The protests sparked by the high-handed arrest reflected supporters’ allegations that the government was politically manipulating the judicial process as part of a broader strategy to neutralize one of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s main opponents.

The report of the European Parliament underscores the fact that such actions undermine the processes of democracy and make the EU accession less of a possibility for Türkiye. It was required by the members of Parliament that İmamoğlu and other political detainees receive instant liberation; Türkiye should be responsible for facilitating democratic principles and human rights accordingly. Türkiye continues dialogue with the EU over important issues like trade and migration, even before the thawing of accession talks. The 2016 EU-Türkiye agreement reportedly led to a 33% decrease in the number of irregular migrants entering the EU compared to the previous agreement. Opponents argue that Europe’s focus on Turkish borders has been at the expense of the same continent’s abandonment of its commitment to human rights.

With this evolution, there is increasing evidence that Türkiye is positioning itself concerning different global alliances. Haris Yeorgiadis, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Greek Cypriot Parliament, argued that Türkiye is no longer interested in joining the European Union and is solely focused on advancing trade relations. Ankara has been observed to approach membership in the BRICS group since 2017, which could rise again as a manifestation of a radical change in the foreign policy of Türkiye with the alienation from the EU values. In May 2024, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan talked about the BRICS membership approach: "If our economic integration with the European Union improved, perhaps we would not be in such a quest to find new relations." This gesture shows that Türkiye is intensifying efforts to become closer to emerging economies on the backs of its current EU accession agenda.

Analysts hold the view that focusing on economic relations rather than worshiping cultural or political relations sends a pragmatic approach in terms of Türkiye’s international affairs. Türkiye wants to diversify its range of economic ties and consolidate its self-determination in international affairs by getting closer to the BRICS countries.

Nonetheless, Türkiye’s chances for EU membership are still plagued by persistent problems across democratic standards and human rights. Although cooperation on issues like trade and migration is still in place, the approach to advance relations with non-Western powers is a sign of a possibly changing foreign policy agenda for Ankara.