Turkey's dilemmas: external advantages, internal tensions
Turkey's dilemmas: external advantages, internal tensions

Summary/Abstract: Turkey’s dilemmas do not stem from the severity of its problems, as precisely the things that any outside observer would point to as assets are the things that actually cause internal tensions. The question of the EU is a litmus test and a divisive force dividing society vertically – dividing each institution or group of people in Turkey into those who are for and those who are against joining the EU. For the fi rst time in Turkish history, certain circles which are determined to stop the process of EU integration are seeking an alliance between themselves and the plebeian, street nationalism, to create a picture of massive resistance to EU accession and a massive mobilisation around the national ideals and symbols. That is why for the first time in Turkish history, the state will have to accommodate itself to society rather than the other way round. Joining the EU necessarily means a radical democratisation of the political structure, which in Turkey means, before anything else, ending the ‘military democracy’. A return to normal conditions would make possible a compromise between the government and the military and, by extent, the long expected compromise between religion and secularism.

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