Turkish FM Fidan Says EU Lacks Political Will for Turkey’s Membership, Blames Sarkozy for Blockage

Reflecto News | Europe-Turkey Relations | Geopolitics

VIENNA — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has declared that even if Turkey meets all the technical conditions for European Union membership, the bloc “lacks the political will” to accept Ankara, pointing to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy as the man who “killed” the political momentum for Turkish accession in 2007.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Vienna alongside Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Fidan delivered his most candid assessment yet of the frozen accession process, which has been largely stalled since 2018 despite Turkey being an official candidate since 1999.

🔴 ‘Sarkozy Killed This in 2007’

Fidan traced the current impasse back nearly two decades, arguing that the political will necessary to complete Turkey’s accession was deliberately eliminated by the former French president.

“There is no political will in the EU saying, ‘We accept Turkey’s EU membership when conditions are met.’ Unfortunately, this political will was killed in 2007 by Mr. Sarkozy. The European political will previously demonstrated by Mr. Schröder and Mr. Chirac was eliminated with Mr. Sarkozy.”
— Hakan Fidan, Turkish Foreign Minister

Nicolas Sarkozy, who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012, was a vocal opponent of Turkish membership. During his term, he championed the concept of a “privileged partnership” rather than full membership, arguing that Turkey — a large, predominantly Muslim country — did not belong geographically or culturally in the European Union. Fidan’s reference to Gerhard Schröder (German Chancellor, 1998-2005) and Jacques Chirac (French President, 1995-2007) highlights that prior European leadership had been more open to the idea of eventual Turkish accession.

🛑 ‘No Political Will Even If Conditions Are Met’

The minister doubled down on his central argument: the obstruction is not about Ankara failing to meet the so-called Copenhagen criteria (democracy, rule of law, human rights), but about a deep-seated political refusal in Brussels.

“If Turkey fulfills the conditions, there should be a clear political statement from the EU regarding its readiness to accept it. The problem is this: There is no political will in the European Union even if Turkey meets the conditions.”
— Hakan Fidan

Fidan argued that the EU’s approach to Ankara is driven by “identity politics,” where religious and civilizational differences are the real barrier, rather than policy disagreements. “The EU managed to become a supranational institution, but it failed to become a supra-civilizational one,” he has previously stated.

📈 Economic & Strategic Benefits of Cooperation

Despite the bleak assessment of political membership, Fidan stressed that the current trajectory of global crises in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war necessitates closer cooperation between Turkey and the EU.

He noted that the trade volume between the two sides is already approaching $250 billion (approximately €230 billion), a figure he described as “almost a perfect balance of 50%-50%, with no trade deficit on either side”. Fidan argued that simply updating the existing Customs Union Agreement could immediately double that figure to $500 billion, something even EU bureaucrats agree is in the bloc’s interest.

🇪🇺 The Inevitable Partnership

Fidan concluded that while the EU may be hesitant on political membership, strategic realities on the ground are forcing a functional partnership. Issues such as the Russia-Ukraine crisis, maintaining stability in the Balkans, building a new European security architecture, and managing the Middle East “compel us to work together” regardless of the nature of their formal relations.

“What more is the European Union waiting for?” Fidan asked, pointing to Turkey’s geostrategic and geoeconomic benefits.

⚖️ The European Counter-Argument

Fidan’s accusations have been met with a different interpretation from European officials. EU Parliament’s Turkey rapporteur Nacho Sánchez Amor has pushed back against Fidan’s “identity politics” claim, stating bluntly: “The problem with Turkey is not religion. The problem with Turkey is democracy.” .

EU institutions have repeatedly frozen progress due to concerns over democratic backsliding, rule of law deficits, and human rights issues under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The European Parliament’s most recent position states that Turkey’s accession process “must remain frozen,” citing unresolved democratic deficits.

🔮 What Comes Next

Despite the deadlock on political membership, technical and economic talks are expected to continue. Ankara’s immediate priorities remain the updating of the Customs Union and the resolution of visa liberalization for Turkish citizens, which will likely be the focus of Turkey-EU dialogue in the near future. Fidan’s remarks in Vienna highlight a widening gap: while the EU insists on political reforms, Turkey is focusing the conversation on its “indispensable” strategic role in the region.

📋 Key Takeaways for Reflecto News Readers

Follow Reflecto News for continuous updates on Turkey-EU relations, Middle East diplomacy, and all breaking news from Vienna and Ankara.

This article is the intellectual property of Reflecto News. Redistribution without attribution is prohibited. For syndication or media inquiries, please contact the editorial team.