Erdogan: Turkey May Part Ways with the EU

Facts

• Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday that Ankara could 'part ways' with the EU after a recent report published by the bloc criticized the country for its alleged democratic shortcomings.¹
• Erdoğan, who made the comments before flying to New York to attend the 78th UN General Assembly, also blamed the EU for 'making efforts to sever ties with Turkey.'²
• The report, adopted earlier this week, said Turkey's accession process into the EU shouldn't be resumed under the current circumstances, citing human rights violations in the country.³
• The report also cited concerns regarding Turkey's censorship laws, a crackdown on dissent, a lack of independence of the judiciary, and a deterioration of women's rights in reassessing its membership bid.⁴
• Referring to the report as 'unfounded' and 'based on disinformation,' Turkey's foreign ministry alleged that the EU report took 'a shallow and non-visionary' approach to the country's ties with the EU.⁵
• The Turkey-EU accession talks have been ongoing since 2005, but the report called for the bloc to explore 'a parallel and realistic framework' for its ties with Ankara, claiming that the rule of law has deteriorated in recent years.⁶

Sources: ¹Bloomberg, ²Associated Press, ³Politico, ⁴Fortune, ⁵Dw.com and ⁶Reuters.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Economist. Erdogan's increasingly autocratic behavior and frivolous geopolitical bargaining are the only reasons for Turkey's stagnant EU accession bid. Only when the democratic backsliding, deterioration of fundamental rights, and the rule of law are stopped, — as well as Ankara balancing its geopolitical ambitions with its core economic interests — will relations with the West and the EU improve.
• Narrative B, as provided by Foreign policy. Turkey is a key economic and defense partner for the EU, yet anti-Turkey circles are attempting to bully Ankara by leveling unjust accusations based on prejudice alone. Besides, it's not Ankara's loss — a failure to grant Turkey membership in the EU will only hurt Europe's chance to redefine both itself and its raison d’être. This is an unfair way to treat a nation that comprises NATO's second-largest army.

Predictions