Turkey may hold referendum to decide on fate of EU membership

[-SINAN-]

As far as I know Turkey is not a member of EU, so where is referendum coming here?

saying that Turkey may also hold a referendum to determine if they should continue with negotiations or not,

 

[ito]

Isn't it going to far...that is going for a referendum just to determine whether to hold talks with EU or not.

 

[TaiShang]

A friend from Turkey, who now lives in the US, shared this to me when I inquired her about people's choice regarding the EU and presidential system questions.

A very recent survey, she told me, and published couple of days ago.

Looks like, as she explained me, 53% still does not want the system to be changed into presidential model.

71% supports EU membership.

Quite surprising.

 

[-SINAN-]

Isn't it going to far...that is going for a referendum just to determine whether to hold talks with EU or not.

Mate, we are currently a candidate country for joining EU. There are 32 chapters to be cleared, and only 1 has been cleared in 11 years. Various countries from EU (Greece, Cyprus, etc...) blocks the negotiations. So, government wants to ask people whether we should cease the negotiations to become a full member or continue....It's a huge decision that no government can shoulder the burden.

More on the issue.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accession_of_Turkey_to_the_European_Union

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A friend from Turkey, who now lives in the US, shared this to me when I inquired her about people's choice regarding the EU and presidential system questions.

A very recent survey, she told me, and published couple of days ago.

Looks like, as she explained me, 53% still does not want the system to be changed into presidential model.

71% supports EU membership.

Quite surprising.

Source please ?
Found your source.....http://www.abcgazetesi.com/geziciden-yeni-anket-ab-destegi-yuksek-baskanlik-istenmiyor-19729h.htm



According a recent poll %68 of the people of Turkey wants to end the negotiations.
http://www.diken.com.tr/hukumete-ya...e-yuzde-68-ab-ile-muzakereler-bitsin-istiyor/

My humble opinion is....people really don't care about EU anymore. Talks with EU are on hold since 2010....So, politicians will be able to easily steer people's votes...

 

[TaiShang]

Mate, we are currently a candidate country for joining EU. There are 32 chapters to be cleared, and only 1 has been cleared in 11 years. Various countries from EU (Greece, Cyprus, etc...) blocks the negotiations. So, government wants to ask people whether we should cease the negotiations to become a full member or continue....It's a huge decision that no government can shoulder the burden.

More on the issue.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accession_of_Turkey_to_the_European_Union


Source please ?
Found your source.....http://www.abcgazetesi.com/geziciden-yeni-anket-ab-destegi-yuksek-baskanlik-istenmiyor-19729h.htm

Poll organized by "Gezici".....

According a recent poll %68 of the people of Turkey wants to end the negotiations.
http://www.diken.com.tr/hukumete-ya...e-yuzde-68-ab-ile-muzakereler-bitsin-istiyor/

I am not sure about the quality of the survey. But, the company, Gezici Survey, appears to be a major one. I still believe that the majority in your country still supports EU membership. That's, for many, where the country belongs to, not the Middle East.

 

[-SINAN-]

I am not sure about the quality of the survey. But, the company, Gezici Survey, appears to be a major one.

Actually, i know both of them. They are not both not very dependable.

There is "Konda" poll company whose owner is "Adil Gür"....Konda always hits the bulls eye with it's predictions I would wait for it.

I still believe that the majority in your country still supports EU membership.

Hımmm, Mate yeah, you are right in a sense. If we can join the EU it would be good. It would benefit us...But we know that we can not be a member under no circumtances.....So, why should we continue the negotiations ?

That's, for many, where the country belongs to, not the Middle East.

I say, we don't belong to Europe or ME, we are neither Westerners nor Easterners.....We are Turks and our home is Anatolia..... I believe most of my countrymen thinks like me.

 

[TaiShang]

Hımmm, Mate yeah, you are right in a sense. If we can join the EU it would be good. It would benefit us...But we know that we can not be a member under no circumtances.....So, why should we continue the negotiations ?

I think it goes beyond the technical issue of membership or not; what is perhaps more concerning is that, under the pressure of this "join or not" debate, the very founding ideas of the republic are challenged by certain internal forces that hold power now.

I guess, the European focus of Turkey is beyond the institutional limits of the EU; it is broader and more civilizational because of, first of all, Turkey's founding principles, geographical proximity to Europe and its bridge status.

Obviously, Turkey has distinct national identity, but the face is turned toward Europe because Europe represents social-political progress. This is also so for us from technological perspective despite that we are rather far away from them from every aspect and our founding was mostly inspired by the northern neighbor, then-USSR. Turkey, on the other hand, has been the very anti-thesis of the USSR from the 1950s on.

I talked to academics who said that they are concerned not because that an emotional delinking from Europe would lead to the emergence of a distinct geographic identity in Turkey, but to Middle Easternization/Arabization.

It is almost for sure that the current government would attempt that, if not it is already attempting. This is especially so if the Islam is shown as being equal to the Arab culture (not that I would belittle the civilizational Arabic culture, but distinct culture is also significant for identity) and Turkey's streets, language, customs, fashion, business, entertainment look more and more like them.

 

[Vassnti]

 

[KingWest]

I have voted that Turkey should continue its negotiations. Apart from democracy etc. An important benefit from the continuation of the negotiations is economical. As long as Turkey continues its negotiations there will be a positive investment climate in Turkey. If Turkey would stop the negotations it would be catastrophic. Companies would stop investing in Turkey etc . (because Turkey would be less stable and not suitable to fulfull the position as the bridge between West and East) (explained in short, but you got the idea for my point of view)