Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has made striking statements regarding the political changes in the EU membership process. He stated that until a certain period, the attitude of leading European countries towards Turkey's membership was different.
The editorial reports that according to Hakan Fidan, until 2007, France and Germany showed political will regarding Turkey's membership if it fulfilled the conditions. During this period, the dialogue between Ankara and Brussels was more constructive.
The minister emphasized that this approach changed fundamentally after the arrival of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to power. According to him, Sarkozy prioritized identity politics by promoting the "We are Christian Europe" approach and did not want Turkey to be part of the European Union.
Hakan Fidan noted that this change seriously affected Turkey's membership prospects and once again demonstrated that the process is political in nature. He stated that in the European Union's enlargement policy, political and ideological factors, alongside values and principles, also play a role.