BUT: as a Greek, let me say that it is very important for Europeans to not give up on Kemal’s vision (*) of a peaceful, westernized Turkey, and to not give up on our secularist brethren, mainly on the west coast. Without a vision of a possible future of a peaceful, integrated European Turkey, with rule of law, respect for minorities and a liberal democratic polity, the secularists in Turkey will be left with nothing but some version of Egypt-style “strong man secularism”.
The west, and the Islamic world desperately needs a positive vision of a secular Muslim society. Europe needs a European Islam, that is not othered but that is a respectable and respectful partner.
So the problem is twofold. On the one hand there is indeed the aggressive, imperialistic, authoritarian neo-ottoman politics of Erdogan that are completely incompatible with the acquis communautaire of the EU. On the other hand there is an Islamophobic mainstream in many EU countries that reject Turkey out of hand, for the fact that they are Muslims. Both need to be defeated, and keeping alive the dream of a European Turkey is 100% worth it.
(*) I’m mentioning Kemal Ataturk with a bitter taste in my mouth as my very ancestors were slaughtered and displaced by his policies. But the dream of a European Turkey requires also the dream of reconciliation in the Balkans and Anatolia.
Turkey as it is now cannot accede.
BUT: as a Greek, let me say that it is very important for Europeans to not give up on Kemal’s vision (*) of a peaceful, westernized Turkey, and to not give up on our secularist brethren, mainly on the west coast. Without a vision of a possible future of a peaceful, integrated European Turkey, with rule of law, respect for minorities and a liberal democratic polity, the secularists in Turkey will be left with nothing but some version of Egypt-style “strong man secularism”.
The west, and the Islamic world desperately needs a positive vision of a secular Muslim society. Europe needs a European Islam, that is not othered but that is a respectable and respectful partner.
So the problem is twofold. On the one hand there is indeed the aggressive, imperialistic, authoritarian neo-ottoman politics of Erdogan that are completely incompatible with the acquis communautaire of the EU. On the other hand there is an Islamophobic mainstream in many EU countries that reject Turkey out of hand, for the fact that they are Muslims. Both need to be defeated, and keeping alive the dream of a European Turkey is 100% worth it.
(*) I’m mentioning Kemal Ataturk with a bitter taste in my mouth as my very ancestors were slaughtered and displaced by his policies. But the dream of a European Turkey requires also the dream of reconciliation in the Balkans and Anatolia.
Thank you for this balanced take on this. It allowed me to consider the situation from another perspective.