Abstract
This article researches discursive practices of Members of European Parliament (MEPs) regarding Turkey’s identity and geopolitical role in the context of the Syrian Civil War from 2011 to 2016. It argues that MEPs struggled to accept Turkey’s in-betweenness: being European and Islamic/Asian simultaneously. This became particularly visible when Turkish foreign policy-behaviour in the region was colliding with European interests and authoritarianism in Turkey kept increasing. As a result, Turkey was framed more and more as non-European by referring to its religion, history and geography. However, MEPs believed cooperation with Turkey to be necessary due to its (growing) role in the conflict and the region in general. In that vein, parliamentary discourses shifted from EU membership to strategic partnership; perceiving Turkey as a key (regional) actor instead of a bridge and role model. Overall, the article gives valuable insights into the EU’s perception of its own identity and (normative) role, and tensions and challenges related to it.
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