This Is Why Turkey Won’t Make It Into the EU

By: NATHANIEL HANDY

Erdoğan's plea for EU accession talks met Western skepticism, largely blaming him for Turkey's unpreparedness.

EU diplomats question Turkey's accession due to rights and press freedom but debate strategy's shortsightedness.

Kurdish minority faces severe repression, AKP blames opposition's election loss on alignment with Kurdish-linked party.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's engagement with Kurdish political groups was strategic, not suicidal, driven by EU negotiations.

EU insincerity and Islamophobia led Turkey towards nationalism and repression, notably due to France and Austria.

Brexit and the 2016 coup dashed Turkey's EU hopes, despite ironic Brexit campaign warnings about immigration.

EU insincerity diminished accession appeal, stifled reform, drove Turkey towards nationalism, less appealing to the EU now.

The EU's moral foreign policy stance remains counterproductive, as it once was with Turkey's uncertain journey to membership.