The conditionality of EU accession and Turkey's response

Abstract

Political Conditionality is considered one of the most important strategies for promoting the principles of the rule of law, human rights, and democracy. These principles serve as fundamental prerequisites for EU membership, as outlined in the Copenhagen criteria established in 1993 and reaffirmed by the European Council in Madrid in 1995. In this context, this study investigates the persistent challenges EU candidate countries encounter in meeting the political conditions stipulated by the EU, with a specific focus on Turkey. Turkey is the longest-standing candidate in EU history, having been in this status for 25 years at the time of writing, making it a subject of prolonged and contentious debate. Using a qualitative research methodology that includes expert interviews, case studies, and primary and secondary data, the study provides a thorough evaluation of Turkey's compliance with EU standards in several areas, such as immigration, human rights, foreign policy, freedom of expression, the media, and the rule of law. The results demonstrate serious shortcomings in Turkey's adherence to the political conditionalities of the EU, which are noticeable in its actions and policies in several areas. The study highlights Turkey's suspension of EU accession talks in 2016, prompted by its response to the coup d'etat attempt that year, wherein the Turkish Armed Forces attempted to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government. This suspension stemmed from concerns about Erdoğan's increasingly authoritarian policies, which exacerbated the gap between Turkey's actions and EU expectations.