Turkey and the EU: From accession to estrangement?

Description

Turkey’s relations with Europe are as long as they are contested. Basically, they represent a moving target with sharp u-turns involved that challenge the relationship. Turkey-EU relations are hence on a rollercoaster ride between accession and estrangement that has been lately on a full downswing with conflicts minimising chances for a closer relationship. However, so far, the so-called ‘train crash’ has been avoided. One relevant question that shall guide this article therefore is, what keeps the rollercoaster on track and what can slow the ride down to a convenient speed. The question of the appropriate framework for such a relationship will guide the concluding outlook on the analysis of what holds the two sides together and what drives them apart.

Funda Tekin is director of the Institute for European Politics in Berlin. Previously, she was vice director of the Centre for Turkey and European Union Studies at the University of Cologne where she directed the H2020 project FEUTURE – the Future of EU-Turkey Relations and the Jean Monnet Network Enhancing Visibility of the Academic Dialogue on EU-Turkey Cooperation. In addition to EU-Turkey relations she has published on flexible integration, BREXIT, and on various aspects of the decision-making procedures in the EU.