OPINION | 10 Reasons Why the EU Needs to Have a Master Plan for the Post-Erdogan Era

*This Opinion is co-authored with Mustafa Y. Karabayir.

As he approaches his twentieth year in power, President Erdogan’s popularity is at an all-time low, 38 percent approval rate^[1], and significant socioeconomic and political indicators, as well as health issues, signal that the post-Erdogan era in Turkey is approaching. However, the European Union’s (EU) failure to take concrete steps to address Erdogan Administration’s violations of democratic norms, along with its treatment of Turkey primarily as a refugee guardian rather than an accession country, has led to a growing opposition bloc in Turkey holding the EU partially responsible for Turkey’s current situation.

In fact, the latest visit paid by Oliver Varheyli, EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, once again proves that the EU does not have a strategic projection for the post-Erdogan era. More precisely, the Commissioner’s agenda during his visit to Turkey allowed him to meet only his official counterparts from the Erdogan Administration whereas he did not meet any opposition leader including the main opposition party. More interestingly, the Commissioner did not prefer to touch upon some of the key challenges such as backsliding of democratic norms and human rights during his meetings with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin, and Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakci. In fact, this visit, which is a reflection of the EU’s ongoing approach to the Turkish government, has once again massively contributed to the anti-EU sentiment not only among the opposition coalition but also even among the larger progressive segments of the society that are known to be traditionally in favour of Turkey’s EU accession process.

📌 OPINION | 10 Reasons Why the EU Needs to Have a Master Plan for the Post-Erdogan Era — by @isik_ebubekir and Mustafa Y. Karabayir

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