Understanding Ever-Changing Dynamics in Turkish-EU Relations during the AK Party Era (2002-2018)

Abstract

Since the 1960s, Turkey-European Union relations and Turkey's accession process has followed a bumpy road. Brussel’s impositions and Ankara's reluctance to implement EU’s fundamental reforms have been the main determinant of Turkey's relations with the EU. However, this situation changed drastically with the AK Party coming to power in 2002 as the necessary reforms to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria were carried out at an unprecedented pace. Nevertheless, even after 17 years, despite the positive developments that occurred during the AK Party rule, Turkey is still not a member of the EU. This article argues that this situation is the result of the changing dynamics at both the local and international level. In this context, the study examines the accession process during the AK Party by separating in three different phases: 2002-2005 period when the relations improved, 2005-2013 period when the relations became stagnant, and finally 2013-2017 period when the relations were broken. This article contends that the changes in political dynamics in Turkey and Europe followed by the changes in the international balance of power have a direct impact in the fluctuations that occurred during these three phases. As a result, it is important that we analyze these factors in order to understand the Turkey-EU relations.

Keywords

• turkey
• european union
• ak party
• anti-terrorism
• refugee crisis
• türkiye
• avrupa birliği
• ak parti
• terörle mücadele
• mülteci krizi