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Pierini is a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, where his research focuses on developments in the Middle East and Turkey from a European perspective.
Marc Pierini is a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, where his research focuses on developments in the Middle East and Turkey from a European perspective.
Pierini was a career EU diplomat from December 1976 to April 2012. He was EU ambassador and head of delegation to Turkey (2006–2011) and ambassador to Tunisia and Libya (2002–2006), Syria (1998–2002), and Morocco (1991–1995). He also served as the first coordinator for the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, or the Barcelona Process, from 1995 to 1998 and was the main negotiator for the release of the Bulgarian hostages from Libya from 2004 to 2007.
Pierini served as counselor in the cabinet of two European commissioners: Claude Cheysson, from 1979 to 1981, and Abel Matutes, from 1989 to 1991. He has published three essays in French: “Le prix de la liberté,” “Télégrammes diplomatiques,” and “Où va la Turquie?.”
Pierini is a member of the International Council of the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations in Marseille.
Turkey is haphazardly decoupling from Western norms and behavior, but the EU must remain an anchor for Turkish democrats.
Despite a deteriorating relationship, Brussels and Ankara will have to find a way to work together.
Turkey’s quandary will only be resolved by the country’s politicians and citizens. How much courage, consistency, and resilience they show will be of the essence.
EU leaders should use the next European Council summit to have a frank and sober discussion about Ankara’s future relationship with Europe.
It is becoming harder by the day to make sense of the strategy behind Ankara’s domestic and foreign policy choices—assuming there is one at all.
Twelve months on from Turkey’s coup attempt, Ankara is forging ahead with imposing a religious-conservative agenda on society, despite significant popular opposition.
As the Turkish leadership becomes increasingly isolated from its traditional allies, Ankara seems tempted to seek refuge in an unconvincing regional role.
Upcoming meetings in Brussels may offer a chance for progress toward reconciliation between the EU and Turkey—but Ankara’s EU accession prospects remain remote.
The consequence of Turkey’s April 16 referendum result is that in foreign policy, the country will now resemble a Central Asian republic more than a European democracy.
Whatever the outcome of Turkey’s April 16 referendum on a new constitution, the country’s relationship with the European Union has reached a watershed.
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