This essay is about the European-Turkish relations, and the concept of political conditionality, with a specific focus on the time after the failed coup d'état in Turkey from July 2016.
Within this essay, emphasis will be put on the question of why political conditionality, generally considered one of the EU’s most efficient democracy promotion instruments, seems to have failed in Turkey.
Therefore, it will firstly be looked at theories of political conditionality, then its effectiveness in Turkey will be evaluated, and, lastly, it will be consider what implications the findings might have for the future of Turkey´s democracy.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Political Conditionality
3. Political Conditionality in the Case of Turkey
3.1 1999 to 2005
3.2 2005 to 2016
4. Concluding Remarks: The Prospect of Turkish Democracy
Objectives and Topics
This essay examines the reasons for the apparent failure of political conditionality as a democracy promotion instrument in Turkey. By analyzing theoretical frameworks and historical developments, it investigates why the European Union's influence on Turkey’s domestic political reforms shifted from effective in the early 2000s to stagnant or regressive in recent years.
- The theoretical mechanisms of political conditionality (ex-ante vs. ex-post).
- The success of democratization reforms in Turkey between 1999 and 2005.
- The erosion of credibility and consistency in EU-Turkey relations after 2005.
- The impact of shifting political incentives on Turkey’s path toward authoritarianism.
Excerpt from the Book
Political Conditionality
As democracy constitutes one of the core values within the self-conception of the European Union, its promotion is of fundamental importance within the EU’s foreign policy. Democracy promotion can be broadly defined as “the processes by which an external actor intervenes to install or assist in the institution of democratic government in a target state”5. These processes can consist of a variety of different actions and strategies that can range from peaceful to forceful measures.6
Ever since its foundation, the very nature of the European Union (or until 1992 the European Community) as a politico-economic entity founded by six member states and currently consisting of 28 member states but possibly accepting more, made it particularly suitable to use one specific democracy promotion instrument: political conditionality, especially in terms of membership. In order to be able to enjoy the benefits the European Union is able to provide, potential member states have to fulfill certain pre-conditions. The Presidency Conclusions of the Copenhagen summit in 1993, nowadays known as the Copenhagen criteria, address these pre-conditions by stating that membership “requires that the candidate country has achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities”7.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides the context of the 2016 European Parliament resolution to freeze talks and introduces the research question regarding the effectiveness of political conditionality in Turkey.
Political Conditionality: Defines the conceptual framework of democracy promotion and explains the core dimensions of political conditionality, specifically focusing on the Copenhagen criteria.
Political Conditionality in the Case of Turkey: Analyzes the implementation of reforms in Turkey across two distinct time periods to evaluate the success and subsequent challenges of the conditionality strategy.
Concluding Remarks: The Prospect of Turkish Democracy: Synthesizes the findings and discusses the implications of the deteriorating relationship between the EU and Turkey for the future of Turkish democracy.
Keywords
European Union, Political Conditionality, Turkey, Democracy Promotion, Copenhagen Criteria, Accession Negotiations, Authoritarianism, Human Rights, Reform, European Parliament, Credibility, Consistency, Membership, Foreign Policy, Political Reforms
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central subject of this research?
The research explores the (in)effectiveness of the European Union's political conditionality as a tool for promoting democracy within Turkey.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work focuses on EU democracy promotion strategies, the definition of political conditionality, and the historical analysis of Turkish political reforms and EU-Turkey relations.
What is the main research goal?
The goal is to determine why political conditionality, which was highly effective during the early 2000s, failed to prevent Turkey's recent shift toward authoritarianism.
Which methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a qualitative case study approach, analyzing scholarly theories of political conditionality and applying them to the timeline of Turkey's EU accession process.
What does the main body of the text address?
It covers the theoretical basis of conditionality, the "golden age" of reforms (1999-2005), and the subsequent stalling of the process (2005-2016) due to credibility and consistency issues.
Which keywords best describe the study?
Key terms include political conditionality, European Union, Turkey, democratization, Copenhagen criteria, and accession negotiations.
Why was the 1999-2005 period considered a "golden age"?
During this time, the clear promise of EU membership incentivized significant democratic reforms, such as abolishing the death penalty and curtailing military power.
How did the EU's credibility impact the effectiveness of its strategy?
The opposition of key member states to Turkey's eventual membership created doubt regarding the EU's sincerity, thereby weakening the incentive structure for Turkish policymakers.
What role do the Copenhagen criteria play in the author's argument?
The author argues that these criteria are essential for conditionality but are often too vague and open to interpretation, making them difficult to measure and implement consistently.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the future of Turkey?
The author concludes that because the prospect of EU membership has receded, Turkish democracy no longer benefits from the external pressure of conditionality, potentially worsening the country's authoritarian trend.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Jannike Riesch (Autor:in), 2017, On the Effectivity of Political Conditionality in Turkey, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/462237
