In a key visit to Brussels, Turkey’s main opposition party, CHP, reaffirmed its commitment to renewed dialogue with the EU. In her column, our president, Gülseren Onanç, who attended the visit, reflected on CHP’s role, the visit’s significance, and its impact on Turkey’s political future.
In a key visit to Brussels, Turkey’s main opposition party, CHP, reaffirmed its commitment to renewed dialogue with the EU. In her column, our president, Gülseren Onanç, who attended the visit, reflected on CHP’s role, the visit’s significance, and its impact on Turkey’s political future.
During a meeting with the CHP delegation, the European Parliament’s Turkey rapporteur, Nacho Sánchez Amor, stated, “The world is undergoing seismic change, and in these critical times, CHP’s presence in Brussels is highly significant.”
Since the election of the Trump administration, the established global order has been continuously disrupted. With Washington’s decision to withdraw from multilateralism, Brussels appears to be a more likely candidate to assume this role compared to the alternative trio of Berlin, Paris, and London.
In this historic context, the Brussels visit of the CHP delegation, led by CHP leader Özgür Özel between March 4-6, was of great importance. I attended this visit as an observer. As a feminist activist and visiting fellow at the School of Transnational Governance (STG) at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, who has long championed the European Union (EU) as a crucial anchor for democracy, equality, and freedom in Turkey, I found this visit particularly significant. After two days of intense meetings, I felt a renewed sense of hope.
This piece reflects my personal observations and analysis.
Democracy: The Primary Condition for EU Membership
President Erdoğan’s assertion that “Europe needs Turkey for its security—this is Europe’s last exit” may resonate with domestic audiences in Turkey. However, I was keen to understand how European counterparts perceived this statement.
In the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the anticipated withdrawal of U.S. military support for Ukraine under a second Trump administration, European leaders have been seeking solutions. The recent Ukraine and European Security Summit in London, convened by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and attended by Turkey, has opened a potential window for revitalizing Turkey-EU relations.
While Turkey’s military strength is acknowledged as strategically valuable in EU defense considerations, when it comes to full membership, the non-negotiable condition remains democratic progress. A senior EU official made this stance clear:
“The distinction between military cooperation and membership negotiations must not be blurred. The suspension of accession talks was due to Turkey’s deviation from the Copenhagen criteria. The only way to revive Turkey’s accession process is through democratic reforms.”
The tone and emphasis of these statements suggested a loss of confidence in the current Turkish administration’s commitment to democratic reforms. Additionally, Turkey’s application to join BRICS has reinforced perceptions that the government is pivoting away from the EU.
A Polish MEP: ‘Your Struggle Inspires Us’
During the meetings, I sought to gauge the EU’s priorities and enthusiasm regarding Turkey’s accession.
In November 2022, during a visit to Brussels with a group of women’s rights activists, civil society representatives, and politicians, we left with a sense of despair—believing that Turkey had been sidelined in the EU’s future. Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention and its deepening democratic backsliding appeared to be of little concern to EU policymakers at the time.
However, my recent visit painted a different picture.
I observed a significant number of European parliamentarians who recognized that Turkey is more than just its current government—that there are diverse voices advocating for EU membership. A striking example came from a Polish MEP from the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) group, who told the delegation,
“Your struggle inspires us.”
This statement underscored the high expectations placed on Turkey’s opposition. Notably, most of our meetings were with representatives from the S&D group, the second-largest political group in the European Parliament.
CHP’s Vision: Full EU Membership
The CHP delegation included Chairman Özgür Özel, General Secretary Selin Sayek Böke, Deputy Chairman İlhan Uzgel, CHP MP and Joint Parliamentary Committee (KPK) member Jale Nur Süllü, and Şule Ertem Bucak, a former CHP deputy secretary-general with strong ties to European socialist parties.
This was a cohesive and experienced team with significant foreign relations expertise.
While Özel acknowledged CHP’s past shortcomings in engaging with the EU, he emphasized their commitment to bridging the gap and taking proactive steps. Since the new leadership took office, CHP has strengthened its relations with European socialist and social democratic parties through the Socialist International network. As a result of these deepening ties, the delegation was invited to the European Parliament by Iratxe García Pérez, the president of the S&D group. García Pérez’s warm welcome of Özel and his team at the entrance of the S&D group’s meeting hall symbolized openness and solidarity.
During the group meeting, Özel delivered a speech and answered questions, stating:
“Our party envisions a democratic, peaceful, secular Turkey that respects human rights and the rule of law. We dream of such a Turkey, and we fight for it. Our goal is full EU membership.”
He criticized the EU’s approach of reducing Turkey-EU relations to migration negotiations and argued that
“Turkey’s democratic culture is more advanced than that of many new EU candidate countries.”
He stressed that Turkey should not be placed behind other candidates in the accession queue.
Özel also highlighted that EU membership and the Customs Union modernization process should be treated as separate issues. He pointed out that the suspension of the Customs Union update was unjustified and should be revisited. Citing public opinion data, he emphasized that support for EU membership stands at 66% in Turkey, rising to 72% among young people.
“The upcoming elections will be a referendum between the CHP, which envisions full EU membership and is committed to democratic reforms, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,” he declared.
S&D parliamentarians noted that visits from Turkey had become infrequent and emphasized the need for greater engagement from various Turkish stakeholders in Brussels to revitalize EU-Turkey relations. During this visit, the CHP announced the appointment of a new representative in Brussels with experience in European local government relations, who is expected to play a key role in the coming months.
Cities: The Last Stronghold of Democracy
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR), a key institution for EU regional and local governments, has long-standing ties with CHP, the leading party in Turkey’s local governance. The committee’s newly elected president, Kata Tüttö—a dynamic young politician and former Deputy Mayor of Budapest—stressed the importance of cities in defending democracy:
“If you come from local government and Hungary, you learn to survive. Cities are the last fortress defending democracy.”
Committee officials emphasized their solidarity with Turkish mayors and highlighted their recent meeting with Ekrem İmamoğlu’s team in December. They underscored the strategic role of local government networks in revitalizing Turkey-EU relations.
A Roadmap for Turkey and CHP’s Role
EU representatives view CHP as a reliable partner in Turkey’s democratic transformation. Strengthening CHP’s engagement with the EU and promoting European values is seen as essential for reviving Turkey’s accession process.
Özgür Özel in the Family Photo
Özel’s invitation to the S&D Group’s meeting ahead of the Ukraine and Defence summit on March 6 in Brussels sent a strong signal from the EU. His participation in high-level discussions alongside EU leaders, including European Council President António Costa, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and former Swedish PM Stefan Löfven, highlighted the EU’s willingness to engage directly with the CHP.
This visit restored my long-lost hope: we can reignite Turkey’s EU accession process.
Gülseren Onanç
President, SES Equality and Solidarity Association
Visiting Fellow, European University Institute