Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
ANKARA AVRUPA CALISMALARI DERGISI-ANKARA REVIEW OF EUROPEAN STUDIES, cilt.23, sa.1, ss.33-66, 2024 (ESCI)
Turkiye's EU process towards the EU began in 1959 and has since proceeded with the granting of its candidacy status in 1999 and the opening of full membership negotiations in 2005. Germany, whose influence and power in the EU increased especially with the end of the Cold War, has been a deciding factor in the EU's policy on Turkiye's membership throughout the process. This study aims to examine Germany's approach to Turkiye's EU membership process and its effects throughout Angela Merkel's era as chancellor, from 2005 to 2021. The main thesis of the study is that Germany publicly opposed Turkiye's EU membership under the Merkel governments and backed the notion of a privileged partnership rather than full membership. However, Germany could not afford to end the negotiation process and push Turkiye out of the EU due to rational reasons such as the EU's and its own security and interests. It also tried to keep Turkiye within the EU's sphere of influence by mediating the crises between Turkiye and the EU and the other EU member states.