EU-Turkey relations : how does Turkey’s EU accession process affect the AKP’s policies?

Abstract

This dissertation analyses the impact that Turkey’s EU accession process talks have on the policies of the ruling AKP party in Turkey. It brings into play various dynamics that are at play in affecting the AKP’s policies, from the relationship between the EU and Turkey; the external governance policies of the EU; domestic factors such as political and civilian stakeholders; as well as the AKP itself. Besides the history of the AKP and EUTurkey relations this dissertation focusses on the adoption by Turkey and the AKP of EU backed policies and measures to their own advantage, in an attempt to analyze when and why they were adopted while others were not. This looks at giving an insight on the current and possible future policies that the AKP may adopt in respect to their EU accession process.