Türkiye Cumhuriyeti: The Republic of Turkey, The European Union Member Who Never Was

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, the Republic of Turkey, stands at a crossroads in Eurasia, linking traditional Europe and Central Europe with the Middle East, while looking out over the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Black Seas, as well as the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus, and the Dardanelles (Central Intelligence Agency). This very geography is what has positioned Turkey, both historically and in the modern era, to be an essential part of the region’s power politics, and Turkey has taken on great sociopolitical and economic roles throughout its various political forms as a result (Kubicek). In 2011, however, Turkey seeks to go beyond its accomplishments of the past by becoming an accepted member of the European Union (EU). Doing so would increase all forms of Turkish power and encourage the prosecution of long-standing goals of both the state and its people (Aras 32; 33). Turkey wishes to join the EU in order to legitimize and officially instantiate its regional influence in the Middle East and North African regions (MENA), while growing, in parallel, its political influence and economy in Europe proper, unhindered by problems of citizenship, culture, or creed.

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