The issue of enlargement towards Turkey

Résumé du document

Today, all European governments and public opinions are different about the orientation they want to be taken place in the European Union (EU). Indeed, it is a global problem about the Union they expect to see in the future: a communitarian, an intergovernmental, an economic, a political, maybe even a military Union. Amongst all these touchy issues, the problem of enlargement, and especially, enlargement of the Union by adding Turkey, is really a specific problem, partly because it is linked to culture and religion. Integration of Tuekey into the Union is a particularly burning issue because it is mainly a Muslim country, whereas the inhabitants of the European Union have a mainly Jew or Christian background.

Extraits

[...] It is a bicameral Parliament. On the one hand, the Senate is a mixture of pluralist system and designation by the autonomous communities. On the other hand, the Congress of Deputies has the main legislative powers, and is elected according to the proportional system. The executive is ruled by the President of Government, and is depending on the Parliamentary majority. It is important to notice that Spain is composed of 17 autonomous communities, amongst them Bask Country and Catalonia have an enhanced power, because they have been claiming over and over again their stronger regional identity, and hence, have got more than the others. [...]

[...] On the other hand, its political leaders also seriously put forwards the bad side of enlargement which could jeopardize the fragile Portuguese economic growth. The PSD says no specific word about Turkey. This latter country seems only to be included in its general agenda about enlargement. The PSD's former ally, the PP, is part of an alliance with the CDS. It is a right wing alliance, based on the Christian Democratic set of ideas, and also on nationalist and conservative propositions. [...]

[...] Their main objective concerning the EU is to reinforce the position of Portugal amongst the EU. For instance, they want a stronger Portuguese presence in the EUROFOR (to fight against terrorism ) Provided that this strong Portuguese position is ensured, they are ready to accept enlargement. Indeed, they cannot accept an enlargement which would dilute the position of Portugal in the EU. Once more, they say nothing special about Turkey. The CDU is a great coalition, composed of extreme left-wing parties, mainly the Communists and the Greens. [...]

[...] This party is plainly in favour of enlargement, due to the beliefs of the PNV: an open and tolerant Europe. The PNV cannot catch the point in refusing countries because of fear or some cultural bearings. Concerning Turkey, the PNV believes that the European must put aside their traditional fears because the arguments used against Turkey are pointless. Chart summing up the positions of the parties II Comparison of the positions of the parties according to their political families Indeed, it turns out that Portugal and Spain, despite their cultural and historical closeness, have quite different schemes concerning the opinions of their parties. [...]

[...] It is important to notice that these a priori ideological stances are likely to be altered by the political and economic context of the moment, by the political agenda (for instance, a next poll is likely to alter the previous program) and by the geopolitical relations at the moment. Indeed, the Portuguese are not much concerned by the issue of Turkey, and it seems that the definitive standpoint about it will be set when the issue seriously arises, that is to say not before 2014. It is likely to be set according national concerns and not European ambitions. First, the former ruling party, the PSD, despite its name, is a conservative and liberal party. [...]