Why is it so difficult for Turkey to become a member of the European Union?

Question

Is their empahsis on being a secular state an attempt to convince existing members that they should also become members? Why does Turkey put so much emphasis on being secular?

Answer 1

Let's just think for a moment:

Turkey=Middle eastern country

European Union=European countries united

How we include a middle eastern country in a treaty that's clearly for European countries?

What are the implications of this for European countries?

And last how can a country that does not recognize a genocide and still occupying a foreign country illegally be equal to other european countries?

Sorry, nothing personal against our neighbors but Turkey is not Europe, simple as that

Answer 2

- Their lack of human rights

- west Turkey is more developed than east Turkey

- most EU countries know that once their borders are open to Turkey, there will be mass migration of Turks.

Answer 3

i think that the main reason is that turkey is a country which not accept the Europeans laws. first of all her relation with Greece and Cyprus which are both members of European union are aw full. with Greece are the problems at Aegean sea ant with Cyprus is the occupation of the north part of the island. secondly,  Europe is one union of Christianity countries and especially orthodox church don't want turkey cause of the crimes against Greek church.. last Greece now support turkey;s entry but when the time close if a Greek government agree to turkeys entry this government will disappear from the  Greek political scene because the 95% of greeks are against of turkeys entry.

Answer 4

Turkey is secular because of our first president, Kemal Ataturk.  He strived for our country to move ahead and become secular, so we continue to remain that way.  Plus, being secular is only fair to everybody in a country.

The reason to why it's hard for Turkey to get into the EU is because specific countries, such as France for example, doesn't want Turkey to become a part of the union.  The french president, Sarkozy, for example doesn't want as he says "a Muslim country" to be allowed in.  This ignorance and childish behavior is why Turkey has never been accepted in and in my opinion, I'd prefer not to be a part of the EU.

Edit- That's something that even I can't understand, but it's what he's said to the press and so I'm only going by what he said.  I could go into details about why Sarkozy might dislike Muslims and that's because in France many of the foreign immigrants are from places like Morocco where they are Muslim and considering most of the riots there are made by the foreign immigrants...you get the point.

By the way, yes, I am part Turk :)

Maybe this article can explain in more detail what I didn't cover: http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section...

Oh, and a side note to Guess Who- What country have you visited?  Turkey does NOT treat women unfairly.  If you think about it, the U.S. treats women unfairly also.  Hmm?  Why is it U.S. women are underpaid than men, I wonder, and why the only job we can ever exceed with men's paychecks are in the supermodel business?  That's what I thought, I'd check you're "facts" in the meantime.

Answer 5

Half of Turkey is flourishing and moving ahead the other half mainly in the East has a high population of Kurds that still have a backward culture. few are educated and can hardly read and write. they have large families that  cant support themselves and are a menace in every country they go to . what EU country would want millions of Kurds walking through there door. the UK would probably let them in though.

Turkey has been secular since the mid 1920's when Ataturk dragged them into the modern age.

The current ruling party AKP has shown signs of being to religious and is a worry  for Turkey. AKP are currently on trial for it. the outcome is yet to be decided and could result in the party being dismantled.

These aren't really my views but its what I hear from my Turkish friends and family.

theres obviously no Kurds amongst them.

Answer 6

I agree with lot many observations that Emira K raised. Turkey has to open up its mind and soul and not be tied down by the religious bigots. On one hand it is striving for "developed" tag and "EU membership" and on the other hand its own government is trying to bring medival period laws of putting headscarves by the female students in educational institutions. Surely Turkey is lot liberal than many other Islamic countries, but it is not liberal enough. The levels of poverty and beggings on the streets of Istanbul reminds one that there is still much to be done before Turkey can become a member of the European Union.

Answer 7

Turkey is also not being admitted to the EU  because of its stand on human rights and the lack of rights to women, lets be serious women are second class citizens there.   I have seen reports that women there,  overwhelmingly don't even understand the very basic functions of their bodies,  ( the big O )  they have never experienced them and are unaware of what they even are.   LOL  so why should a country that treats its women like second class citizens be allowed in the EU?    I know that when i was there,  i was not ask to order at the restaurant, they ask the man at the table what i wanted to eat.   they did not seem to care what i wanted to eat, only what he wanted me to have.  That shows you a lot about the country,   and their attitudes to women .

Answer 8

i ll state my opinion,i don't know if i am right or wrong....

Is not the religion which bother them,at the end is not the only muslim country who is about to enter EU....

Is :

1.violation of the woman's human rights

2.occupation of cyprus(which is a part of EU)

3.denying the armenian genocide(most of the EU members have HUGE armenian diaspora)

Its is not if I agree or disagree with the above ,is just what i believe is the obstacles of entering

Also ,Turkey borders with non-stabilized countries which may considered as a "prroblem",too

Of course Greece has no problem of entering Turkey the EU,to be realistic,is better to have Turkey as an ally,than as enemy ;)

They are 10 times bigger in population than us(Greeks)

at the end,i dont think there is a point of talking about it,,as long as Ireland voted NO

Answer 9

hi My friend,

Ah! Ah! Ah!

because Ireland said "NO" to EU treaty!

http://www.axilltv.com/at/videos.php?fil...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/745356...

ya! ya! ya!

btw,is there any union ,in Europe?

ha! ha! ha!

Answer 10

dont worry about mr Nicolas Sarkozy .

Sarkozy is Hungarian decent and is probably annoyed about the curse of Turan his daddy told him about.thats why hes anti-turk.

Answer 11

I dont commenting the  human rights, meanwhilst disagreeing on the Lieccupation of Cyprus (in regard of they are genetically Cypriots) and the Armenian diaspora. Its true some war happened inbetween though its not even unclear who were right  really, so current diaspora is rather a missonary abuse.

Answer 12

If you gave her (GUESS WHO) thumbs down?

So why this common most liberal (!) Turkish news pages' pen writers are almost only males? (you can see male pictures, just check the bottom of the red title: Anasayfa)

http://www.haber3.com/haber.php?haber_id...

has given right to decide the problems of women.

orwww.sabah.com.tr (I don't count police, political, army and other occupations even)

Why do violence and hassling of women is so wide spread in Turkey and It is penalty cost only 57 Ytl (45 dollars)?

Why law does-- female prostution punished openly, exposed a dangerous  country full of chauvinist violents, but no penalty  for those male purchasers or encourage the male abusers without any legal penalty?

Why do brothels for man are legal in Turkey?, while women there seen as fallen “polluted” by manly traditional purchasers and while some killed for honor.

why right or  heard scarf(!) is discussed by male or strictly male dominated females with villain mustaches?

Why do Turkish womens body, skin, bones cannot see sun light without any protective male(!) observing them around , no shorts, some mini skirts seaside bikinis etc. allowed without harassment (described as noth health, but sexual invite).Why do women un/employed mostly for their physique but not for their skills?

Why cars never allow the pedestrians to pass (where safe traffic lights are also rare for them) and given chance only to  forcefully escaping from hootering reckless cars  without any police warning.

Is not that a worldwide -strict- law , respect to the pedestrian passing first,  in E/U/SA or others?

Answer 13

Since the Irish voted against the Lisbon treaty, no one will be able to become a member of the EU anymore!

Answer 14

Secularism, or in other words, official neutrality in religious affairs, is one of the key characteristics of the Republic of Turkey.

Was there a EU 84 years ago? No.

But Turkey is a secular state for 84 years, since the beginning of the establishment of the republic.

Our secularism has nothing to do with EU.

And as you should know there are member states who do not define their states as secular within the EU.

Secularism is an important issue since the days of Diderot and Voltaire.  Important public debates about secularism occur in most of the Secular states around the world, not just Turkey, from time to time. Another secular country, France is another obvious example. Turkey's recent emphasis on secularism is just another example of that ongoing public debate. It has nothing to do with EU.

Answer 15

Turkey is the gate way from Europe to the middle east and don't forget Its the neighbouring country of Iraq,Iran,syria. This would cause many problems such as illegal immigrants only having to pass the Turkish borders to get access to the whole of Europe. And for many other security purposes its making it almost impossible for Turkey to become apart of the EU.

Answer 16

Guess who, as it seems, you are guessing a lot of things and guessing all of them wrong. So the waiter did not ask you what to eat but asked it to your boyfriend or whoever it is with you? Wow. What a backward country really. you dont add up honey, you really dont. This incident may very well be true but it may have many reasons starting from u not being able to speak Turkish. It could happen this way if i were in Italy and spoke no Italian. I, anyway, very much doubt uve ever been to Turkey.

To answer the question: It's more about the size of Turkey than anything else