(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Opposition to Turkey’s accession into the European Union (EU) has subsided but remains high, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 50 per cent of respondents oppose Turkey’s entry into the continental group, down 16 points since June 2005.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Opposition to Turkey’s accession into the European Union (EU) has subsided but remains high, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 50 per cent of respondents oppose Turkey’s entry into the continental group, down 16 points since June 2005.
In October 2005, the EU officially began accession talks with Turkey. The country has been seeking inclusion for more than forty years, and filed a formal application to that effect in 1987. Since then, it has taken steps required only of members—including the establishment of a customs union—but was not accepted as a candidate state until 1999.
In October 2006, EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn declared: "Our relationship with this country is schizophrenic. (…) There is in Turkey a feeling of deception, because it is thought that ‘Europeans don’t want us in the Union’. As for the Union, it is disappointed by the sluggish pace of reforms, which are not sufficiently credible, leading to suspicion in public opinion. It is a real vicious circle that I want to break and this will be difficult to do if accession negotiations are suspended."
French president Nicolas Sarkozy favours a "privileged partnership" between the EU and Turkey, which falls short of full membership for the country.
Earlier this month, U.S. president Barack Obama endorsed Turkey’s EU accession, saying, "Turkey is a critical ally. Turkey is an important part of Europe. Europe gains by diversity of ethnicity, tradition and faith. (…) And Turkish membership would broaden and strengthen Europe’s foundation once more."
Polling Data
Do you support or oppose Turkey’s accession into the European Union (EU)?
|
Apr. 2009 |
Jun. 2005 |
|
|
Support |
35% |
28% |
|
Oppose |
50% |
66% |
|
Not sure |
15% |
6% |
Source: CSA / Le Parisien
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,009 French adults, conducted on Apr. 8 and Apr. 9, 2009. No margin of error was provided.
