EUPopLink Country report - Turkey

This report examines how populism and Euroscepticism intersect in Turkish politics. Turkey's relationship with Europe has long been shaped by ambivalence, and as EU accession stalled, Euroscepticism spread across the political spectrum. The ruling AKP initially championed EU membership to advance democratic reforms but later shifted toward a civilizational, anti-Western discourse. Other parties - from the Islamist YRP and nationalist ZP on the right to the socialist TİP on the left - also combine populist rhetoric with distinct forms of Euroscepticism. The report traces these positions historically and shows how the "Europe question" has served as a versatile tool for populist actors to redefine political alliances and frame domestic conflicts.