According to a widely supported report by the European Parliament, there is a serious decline in democratic standards under the current Turkish AKP government. The suppression of peaceful protesters and political opponents, such as Istanbul's popular mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, is alarming. The Parliament sees these actions as attempts to manipulate the political playing field.
The EU accession criteria, including democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, are non-negotiable according to the European Parliament. Ankara fails to meet these, which blocks further talks. Provocations such as Erdoğan’s visit to occupied Northern Cyprus also undermine relations with EU member states.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the northern part of Cyprus in July 2021, which European institutions view as a provocation against the internationally recognized south. The leader of the Turkish side, Ersin Tatar, called the European Parliament’s report in the Cyprus Mail “a biased document” that does not take the reality on the island into account.
Nevertheless, the European Parliament does not want to completely close the door. Many Turks, especially young people, remain strongly pro-European. This societal support is a reason not to definitively end the accession process despite the current freeze on talks.
Turkey has been negotiating EU accession since 2005. The recent deterioration of the domestic situation means these talks now formally remain frozen. MEPs emphasize that only reforms in Ankara can restart the process. This is evident from the broad support for the report in Parliament.
Along with concerns, there is recognition of Turkey’s strategic role. As a NATO member and partner in the Black Sea region, the Middle East, and around Ukraine, the country plays a key role. Therefore, Parliament wants to maintain political dialogue and deepen cooperation.
This cooperation can focus on shared interests such as climate policy, energy security, counter-terrorism, and migration. At the same time, according to the report, the EU must remain clear about its core values and make no concessions on fundamental principles.
Dutch liberal MEP Malik Azmani (VVD) calls cooperation with Turkey a strategic necessity but advocates for a “smart strategy.” That means maintaining pressure on democratic reforms while continuing talks in other areas. Azmani was one of the report’s authors.