Turkey’s Effort to Join the EU Is on Life Support

In the aftermath of a bloody failed coup in Turkey – including arrests of political opponents and journalists – European leaders are assessing Turkey’s bid to join the EU. They admit that the crackdown in Turkey goes against European principles, particularly as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan adopts increasingly hostile language toward Europe. Talks have been flailing for years, especially since Turkey refuses to recognize Cyprus. Turkish leaders accuse the EU of applying a double standard: Many European leaders did not support Turkish accession to the EU when its democracy was functioning, and after the coup attempt, European leaders did not lend strong support to Turkish dissidents. Turkey has taken in millions of Syrian refugees, and Erdogan contends that Europeans should not take this for granted – he could open Turkish borders and allow refugees to flood Europe once again. The EU has since voted to not open new chapters in the process, and hostility runs high. – YaleGlobal