Umut Oran, CHP deputy wrote an article about Turkey’s accession to the EU for Turkish Policy Quarterly. In his article he paints a worrisome picture about Turkey’s trajectory. He refers to the “autocratic pressure” of the AKP government on the media, unions, and civil society, and points out the Prime Minister’s expressed objective to ‘raise a religious youth.’ Oran argues that the political system needs to be revamped and reiterates concerns on judiciary independence and individual freedoms. The risk, he argues, is that “the government becomes increasingly oppressive in response to the pressure from changing demographics and changes both at home and in the region.”

Excerpt of the article:

“Turkey’s challenges require a strong and bold leadership that can think smart and act strategically without losing sight of universal values. The Turkish society deserves freedom, democracy and justice and a country where everybody can speak their mind without any fear, where people can demand their rights in front of an effective court, where people are equal regardless of their gender, ethnic or sexual identity. Turkey can only achieve these goals by taking responsibility; blaming others will not solve problems.”

Full Article:

Umut Oran: A common future: Turkey and European Union