Turkey’s Impending Estrangement From the West

Turkey’s leaders are heading toward a clear-cut divorce from the European Union, due to current domestic political trends in the country. This is a highly risky course.

Most official voices and expert opinions in Turkey focus on foreign policy considerations and exchanges of reciprocal concessions or benefits. But the EU’s traditional values-based approach has now reached its limits with Ankara, and what is left is a less ambitious, more transactional relationship. That is difficult enough, but potential developments in Turkey could estrange the country further from the EU and the West.

ESO: Background information: Federica Mogherini meets with Turkish Minister of Foreign affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu http://www.europeansources.info/record/federica-mogherini-meets-with-turkish-minister-of-foreign-affairs-mevlut-cavusoglu/

ESO: Background information: Erdoğan threatens to open borders to migrants http://www.europeansources.info/record/erdogan-threatens-to-open-borders-to-migrants/

ESO: Background information: Debate at the plenary session on Turkey's accession to the European Union - Freeze EU accession talks with Turkey, urge MEPs, November 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/debate-at-the-plenary-session-on-turkeys-accession-to-the-european-union-freeze-eu-accession-talks-with-turkey-urge-meps/

ESO: Background information: Key findings of the 2016 Report on Turkey http://www.europeansources.info/record/key-findings-of-the-2016-report-on-turkey/

ESO: Background information: Trouble on the tracks: Averting the Turkey-EU ‘train wreck’ http://www.europeansources.info/record/trouble-on-the-tracks-averting-the-turkey-eu-train-wreck/

Deutsche Welle, 12.12.16: Austria threatens to block Turkish accession http://dw.com/p/2UAb2

EUObserver, 14.12.16: [Interview]: 'Don't push Turkey away', says writer Elif Shafak https://euobserver.com/enlargement/136259

ECFR: Commentary, 13.12.16: Dear Europe: Don’t drop Turkey http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_dear_europe_dont_drop_turkey

---