Publication

In this article, the author addresses the Turkish EU accession process and the role of France in this regard. It argues that the Turkish accession process is deeply stalled not least since France has opposed it as the result of a highly politicized debate kicked off by Valérie Giscard d’Estaing during his Presidency of the Convention on the Future of Europe. François Hollande and the new French government could seize the window of opportunity opened by the presidential and legislative elections to re-dynamize accession negotiations with Turkey, and do away with the image of France in Turkey as the anti-Turkish shield of Europe.