Can EU Act as a Democracy Promoter? Analysing the Democratization Demand and Supply in Turkey – EU Relations

The EU’s role to assist Turkey in its democratization efforts has been debated during Turkey’s candidacy. However, in the second decade of the 21st century, this role of the EU lost its visibility while Turkey seemed to lose its interest in reform movements. This paper, inspired by Pevehouse, defin...

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Main Author: Çiğdem Üstü
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: European Institute of Romania 2017-06-01
Series:Romanian Journal of European Affairs
Subjects:
Online Access:https://rjea.ier.gov.ro/wp-content/uploads/articole/RJEA_2017_vol17_no1_art6.pdf
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author Çiğdem Üstü
author_facet Çiğdem Üstü
author_sort Çiğdem Üstü
collection DOAJ
description The EU’s role to assist Turkey in its democratization efforts has been debated during Turkey’s candidacy. However, in the second decade of the 21st century, this role of the EU lost its visibility while Turkey seemed to lose its interest in reform movements. This paper, inspired by Pevehouse, defines the EU as a supplier of democratization mechanisms and Turkey as an actor in need. Although lack of enthusiasm and disengagement have come to characterize Turkey-EU relations, this study aims to demonstrate that there are differences between the governing and the opposition actors’ views on the EU and its role in the democratization of Turkey. Data collected from the speeches of opposition parties’ parliamentarians between 1 January 2011 and 31 August 2016 demonstrates the similarities observed in these parties’ concerns regarding democratic practices and the perception of the EU as an actor strengthening democracy, while indicating that the EU, as a supplier, overlooked their concerns during the process.
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publishDate 2017-06-01
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spelling doaj-art-a8cf87bc3b154d8c80c8c7116d61d3942025-08-20T03:45:36ZengEuropean Institute of RomaniaRomanian Journal of European Affairs1582-82711841-42732017-06-011718599Can EU Act as a Democracy Promoter? Analysing the Democratization Demand and Supply in Turkey – EU RelationsÇiğdem Üstü0Associate Professor in EU Studies and is affiliated with the Association of Development, Migration and Social Policies (DEMIS), in Izmir, Turkey.The EU’s role to assist Turkey in its democratization efforts has been debated during Turkey’s candidacy. However, in the second decade of the 21st century, this role of the EU lost its visibility while Turkey seemed to lose its interest in reform movements. This paper, inspired by Pevehouse, defines the EU as a supplier of democratization mechanisms and Turkey as an actor in need. Although lack of enthusiasm and disengagement have come to characterize Turkey-EU relations, this study aims to demonstrate that there are differences between the governing and the opposition actors’ views on the EU and its role in the democratization of Turkey. Data collected from the speeches of opposition parties’ parliamentarians between 1 January 2011 and 31 August 2016 demonstrates the similarities observed in these parties’ concerns regarding democratic practices and the perception of the EU as an actor strengthening democracy, while indicating that the EU, as a supplier, overlooked their concerns during the process.https://rjea.ier.gov.ro/wp-content/uploads/articole/RJEA_2017_vol17_no1_art6.pdfdemocratizationeuropean unionparliamentary debatesopposition parties
spellingShingle Çiğdem Üstü
Can EU Act as a Democracy Promoter? Analysing the Democratization Demand and Supply in Turkey – EU Relations
Romanian Journal of European Affairs
democratization
european union
parliamentary debates
opposition parties
title Can EU Act as a Democracy Promoter? Analysing the Democratization Demand and Supply in Turkey – EU Relations
title_full Can EU Act as a Democracy Promoter? Analysing the Democratization Demand and Supply in Turkey – EU Relations
title_fullStr Can EU Act as a Democracy Promoter? Analysing the Democratization Demand and Supply in Turkey – EU Relations
title_full_unstemmed Can EU Act as a Democracy Promoter? Analysing the Democratization Demand and Supply in Turkey – EU Relations
title_short Can EU Act as a Democracy Promoter? Analysing the Democratization Demand and Supply in Turkey – EU Relations
title_sort can eu act as a democracy promoter analysing the democratization demand and supply in turkey eu relations
topic democratization
european union
parliamentary debates
opposition parties
url https://rjea.ier.gov.ro/wp-content/uploads/articole/RJEA_2017_vol17_no1_art6.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT cigdemustu caneuactasademocracypromoteranalysingthedemocratizationdemandandsupplyinturkeyeurelations