Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to be on a collision course with many of his country’s partners, including the European Union and, in particular, Greece, Cyprus and France. He has been pursuing the role of an independent but powerful actor in the Middle East and beyond, but foreign policy is also always a reflection […]
Member of the European Parliament and Vice-President of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP
The introduction of a undemocratic executive presidential system has been removed, suspension of Europe accession talks has become unavoidable.
“Ladies and gentlemen, tonight, the European Union has opened its door to Turkey,” European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said at a news conference in December 2004. “It shows clearly the end goal: The end goal is membership.” That was the optimism in 2004. After years of difficult reforms and after decades waiting at the […]
If the EU is to stay true to its humanitarian values, the deal with Turkey must be accompanied by the large-scale resettlement of refugees and respect for the rule of law. It is not a blueprint for deals with third countries in North Africa. “Alarmingly short-sighted and inhumane” – that is how Amnesty International qualified […]