The Pros And Cons Of Turkey And The European Union

Since 1950 European Union (EU) was created it has promoted peace, prosperity and values among the member nations and its neighbouring countries. EU’s influential tools, has helped transform many European states into functioning democracies and prosperous countries. EU’s membership has grown from 6 to 28 countries (Enlargement, 2014), satisfying a historic vow to integrate the continent bringing in most states of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) by peaceful ideals.EU has anticipated the enlargement as an extraordinary opportunity to endorse political strength and economic success in Europe. EU’s extension policy is open to any European state that fulfils the EU’s political and financial criteria for membership; still the political process of inclusion of new state requires a unanimous agreement from all the existing 28 member states. Europe is considered to be more flourishing and safer place due to the promotion of democracy, anti-corruption policy and the single market policy.

Large numbers of foreign fighters and sympathisers are abandoning Islamic State and trying to enter Turkey, with at least two British nationals and a US citizen joining an exodus that is depleting the ranks of the terror group.

However, Europe faces a regression in economic terms. The economic stagnation shadows the success of Europe’s past, and fear for becoming a relic run rampant among citizens (101). Fear also creates an uncertainty in the states future, and as a result, the identity crisis is maximized, creating a need for internal stability. The states internal stability is achieved by preserving their already established norms and customs, further alienating themselves from the other. The phenomenon is exemplified in France, Netherland, and Ireland when they voted no on joining the European Union. The lack of confidence promotes the desire to stay isolated from the others. Enforcing barriers against outsiders ensures that state traditions will remain the same and limits the threats from entering. Turkey joining the EU incorporating a Muslim population into the

Not only was a decision made to create the EMU but the governments of the member states also signed on creating a political union for “an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe”. The discussion within the negotiations on the Maastricht Treaty focused on themes like the role of the European Parliament, establishing a European citizenship, the development of new common policies such as culture and interior affairs and the creation of a common foreign

This article discusses the process of Albania’s application to the EU, the hardships Albania has endured as a communist country and the changes Albania will have to incorporate for acceptance into the EU. Albania will have to overcome many challenges in order for acceptance into the EU and will have to make drastic improvements in regards to corruption, bribery and free elections. Articles provides a basis for studying Albania in regards to application to the EU.

The literature on the Eastern expansion of the EU is dominated by studies seeking to identify the overall expectations of candidates and the motives for established states to approve or reject applicants. Consistent with the Copenhagen criteria, the predominant theoretical perception is that attitudes towards democracy and capitalism in candidate states determine EU membership and can reasonably be connected to a smoother and faster accession process (Christin 2005; Cichowski 2000; De Witte 2002; Delsoldato 2002; Fish 2005; Hellman 2004; Plumper, Schneider, and Troegerv 2006; Nissen 2003; Tucker, Pacek, and Berinsky 2002). The literature also links EU expansion to increase in tensions between established and

Accession of new members from Eastern Europe into the union is possible only through good governance, effective institutions, and quality democracy. Good governance creates effective institutions. These institutions produce quality democracy. Established member states want a democratic sub-continent which will support expansion towards Eastern Europe. Next I evaluate the literature in order to establish whether EU institutions have the real power to impact the quality of democracy in Eastern European and Balkan members in order to support EU expansion.

Following this period of immense change, Turkey will remain in somewhat of a status quo for the next ten years, while President Erdogan is in power. The new electoral rules from the 2017 referendum include a five-year presidential election cycle, with a two-term limit (Why did Turkey hold a referendum?, 2017). Erdogan has had a long and successful career in Turkish politics, as Mayor of Istanbul in 1994, forming his own party the AK Party (AKP), serving as Prime Minister, and eventually becoming President. He is immensely popular in some areas of Turkey, including the Anatolian heartland and Black Sea region. His popularity and influence can be seen by the public’s willing response when called to arms by the President during the July 2016 coup attempt, as well as his increased approval rating shortly after his crackdown on the Gulenists (Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Turkey's pugnacious president, 2017). Due to these factors, Erdogan will be re-elected in 2019 and serve as President until 2024. As a result of his re-election, he will use his newly

On January 1st 2007 while the world was celebrating New Year’s Day, twenty five state members of the European Union (EU) welcomed almost 30 million people from Romania and Bulgaria to the union. Massive celebrations were held in Romania and Bulgaria to mark this accession. This historic event also marked the fifth enlargement of the EU and the peaceful reunification of Western and Eastern European countries since the end of the Cold War. The path to membership was long and sometimes challenging but in the end these two countries arrived to the road of Europe and the future.

Initially, in the period of membership negotiations until the EU referendum in 2003, opinion poll reveals that Czechs are not Eurosceptics (Riishøj, 2007). Prior to 2004, EU accession was supported by the majority of Czech citizens with 77.3 per cent support EU accession (Bönker, 2006; Čábelková et al., 2015). However, decades later the perspective of EMU integration has reversed remarkably (Čábelková et al., 2015).

At the Copenhagen summit in December 2002, the EU outlined the political and economic conditions that Ankara would have to satisfy before formal accession talks could begin. The so-called Copenhagen criteria require that Turkey have a functioning market economy and stable institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, and human rights (Phillips).

21st Century is a period of time when the globalization process has reached its apogee. All over the world exists thousands diverse international political and economic organizations and unions. According to Garret (2000, pp. 941-991) the most important cause of globalization is related to the international market integration. The major impact on this process has had the appearance of the European Union by Maastricht Treaty in 1993. Peace, prosperity, stability, economic and social progress towards nations and individuals were the main objectives of the EU creation (BBC, 2002; Europa, n.d a). After twenty years of cooperation different disputes about the benefits and disadvantages of the EU membership for a nation came up.

Turkey’s future remains ambiguous. On an economic perspective, Turkey is booming. It is quickly launching itself into globalism. A growing economy “during the first six months of 2011 Turkey even vied with China for position as the world’s fastest growing economy. Since 2002 the Turkish economy has nearly tripled in size, experiencing the longest spurt of prosperity in modern Turkish history” (Çaǧaptay, 2014, pp. 17). Diversifying its efforts to bring the nation into the international realm as global player. A prime example of modernization theory, that as countries modernize, streghten middle class values, it becomes inevitable that countries transition away from oppressive regimes to a strong democratic institution. Hindering a politically effective democracy is the current president of Turkey. Increasing tensions and waning legitimacy from its population is showing signs of stress. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was elected to the presidency in 2014.

Gaining membership to the European Union (EU) has been a frustrating process for Turkey. The Near East nation began its campaign for EU membership nearly 30 years ago under the EU’s predecessor, the European Economic Community. In 2005, 18 years after beginning the application process, Turkey was finally invited to enter accession negotiations. The protracted delay was a result of unfavorable economic conditions in Turkey as well as Turkey’s tumultuous relationships with EU members Greece and Cyprus. Yet, the question remains: why hasn’t Turkey been granted membership to the EU?

Half a century ago Turkey admitted to the European Union membership and until now Turkey didn’t have a full membership. The EU fears Turkey and Turkey is eager to join the Christen club. Therefore, the EU – Turkey relations went through several turns that either stalemated or encouraged the process of admitting Turkey to the EU membership. The EU-Turkey relation is important for both parties, because it involves mutual security, economic and strategic benefits. However, the recent progress in the EU- Turkey relations seems slow and lack collective goals that strengthen the Turkish EU cohesion. For example, there was 14 Chapter opened in the EU accession negations but they did only finish negotiating about one Chapter. Both Turkey and the EU individual countries contributed to such outcome. In order to understand this recent negative development in the EU-Turkey relation, we need to address the facts that either helped or undermined both parties cohesion.