The European Union (EU) is an issue that has triggered different reactions and perspectives among political parties in Türkiye (Turkey). Approaches towards the EU are based on political parties’ ideological differences, perceptions of national interests, and Türkiye’s experiences in the EU accession process. In this paper, I will focus on the EU perspectives of major Turkish political parties, particularly the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party), the Republican People’s Party (CHP), and the Nationalist Action (Movement) Party (MHP).
Throughout its time in power, the AK Party has seen EU membership as an essential goal. The AK Party governments, led by former Prime Minister and 12th President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, have implemented several reforms to bring Türkiye in line with EU standards. However, tensions in relations with the EU in recent years and the lack of progress in accession negotiations have led to changes in the AK Party’s attitude towards the EU. Some within the party have questioned Türkiye’s EU process and started to discuss alternative integration models. Therefore, the AK Party’s view on the EU is a complex issue and there are segments within it with diverse views.
The main opposition party, CHP, also supports Türkiye’s EU membership. The party emphasizes EU values such as democracy, human rights, and the rule of law and advocates for Türkiye to conform to EU standards. CHP leaders argue that EU membership would democratize Türkiye further, promote economic development, and enable the country to play a more influential role in the international arena. However, there are also some criticisms. Some segments of the CHP are more critical of the EU, arguing that the EU consistently evaluates Türkiye negatively and applies double standards due to widespread Turcophobia and Islamophobia in European countries.
The MHP on the other hand, generally adopts a more conservative stance towards the EU. The party’s leader, Devlet Bahçeli, has criticized Türkiye’s EU membership process, describing it as “full of lies and illusions”. The party argues that Türkiye’s national interests are more important than EU membership and claims that the EU wants to put Türkiye into a process of assimilation. The MHP emphasizes that Türkiye should pursue an independent foreign policy instead of EU integration and that national sovereignty should be protected. The MHP has a colder attitude towards the EU and considers some issues as sensitive in terms of national security and national identity. However, even MHP does not object to EU membership in principle.
Overall, the perspective of the main political parties in Türkiye on the EU is a complex and divergent issue. While the AK Party has embraced EU membership as a goal in the past, there have been internal debates in recent years. The CHP, while supporting EU membership, may adopt a critical stance due to the double standards implemented by Brussels. The MHP, on the other hand, takes a more conservative approach to the EU and emphasizes national interests, but it does not automatically reject the possibility. The different perspectives between these political parties have led to the EU accession process becoming a part of domestic political debates in Türkiye as well.
Oğuzhan MANİOĞLU
