IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu announced the results of 2017 opinion survey measuring the EU perception among the Turkish public opinion in Brussels.

At the Turkey-EU High Level Economic Dialogue meeting, IKV Chairman shared the results of the public opinion survey conducted on 18-19 November 2017 in 18 provinces of Turkey, with 1.311 persons via face-to-face interviews. The opinion research revealed that Turkey’s support for the EU membership is at a high level, 78.9%. Notwithstanding, the belief in Turkey’s EU membership in the near future is less than this ratio. While 31.2% of the respondents believe in Turkey’s EU membership in the foreseeable future, 68.6% of participants think that Turkey is unlikely to become a member of the EU in the near future.

IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu continued to evaluate the results as follows:

“The results proved that Turkish citizens still support Turkey’s EU membership goal on a large scale. This stems from the expectations of welfare and stability. However, whereas the rate of support has increased by 3% since the previous year and reached to 78.9%, the ratio decreases to 31% who believe that Turkey would become an EU Member State in the near future. In other words, there exists a decline of faith and reliance towards the EU objective. All parties should revitalise and realise the EU objective of a country with a population of 80 million.

Moreover, IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu interpreted some other significant results of the research:

“Our research that measures the public’s EU perception contains noticeable hints. For instance, Turkish citizens’ support for the EU membership results from some desires and expectations such as free movement, democratisation and prosperity. Besides, respondents underlined economic reasons, double standards of the EU and prejudices along with the cultural differences as main obstacles towards Turkey’s EU membership goal.

Furthermore, the opinion research clarifies some of the unclear issues including the mistakes in the EU’s attitude towards Turkey and badly-going sides of the process. Although accession negotiations had to come first when the most important topics in Turkey-EU relationship were asked, participants mentioned visa issue, the Customs Union and refugee cooperation instead. That is to say, the process of accession negotiations which has to be the main mechanism for Turkey’s familiarisation with the EU does not work properly. The public is well aware of this situation. Another important finding of the research is that although Turkish citizens perceives the EU as Turkey’s primary economic partner, the EU comes second after Russia and Turkic Republics in case of political alliance and partnership. This demonstrates the facts that despite Turkish citizens are aware of the EU’s economic significance for Turkey, they do not perceive the EU at Turkey’s side politically.”

Additively, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu emphasised the importance of the announcement of the results of the research at the Turkey-EU High Level Economic Dialogue meeting in Brussels:

“We have announced the results of 2017 public opinion research at the Turkey-EU High Level Economic Dialogue meeting in Brussels. In this way, we gave important messages to our partners at the European Commission and other European institutions. In spite of all problems in Turkey-EU relationship, it is remarkable that Turkish citizens continue to support Turkey’s EU membership. At this point, the EU needs to do its duty and take the necessary steps in order to fulfil the right expectations of Turkish citizens. Therefore, instead of hindering Turkey’s EU process with political considerations, the EU should take concrete steps by opening new chapters without any delay, starting the modernisation process of the Customs Union and abolishing the visas.”

The other interesting findings of the survey that was carried out by IKV and Realta Research Company are as following:

- The main motives behind Turkey’s support for the EU membership are the expectation of prosperity and economic development by 48.3%, visa-free travel, settlement and education opportunities by 38.1% and enhanced democracy and human rights by 34.5%.

- The main reasons of opposing Turkey’s EU membership are concern for a possible damage of membership to Turkish identity and culture by 25.2%, doubts regarding the EU’s future by 24.6%, belief that the EU applies double standards towards Turkey by 23.5% and the view of losing sovereignty and independence due to the membership by 17.2%.

- According to the research findings, the main impediments to Turkey’s EU membership are economic reasons (46.6%), double standards policy (44.3%), prejudices and perceptions in the EU’s public opinion (25.3%), religious and cultural differences (23.6%).

- What the meanings of the EU for Turkish people are development and prosperity (41.4%), democracy and freedom (30.8%), free movement without restrictions (26.5%), culture and civilisation (26.2%).

- While the EU is still regarded as Turkey’s primary economic partner by 27.8%, it is the second political ally of Turkey following Russia and Turkic Republics with its share of 24.1%. Concerning economic partners, the EU is followed by Russia and Turkic Republics by 19.3%, developing countries such as China and India by 18.9% and Central Asian Republics by 18.6%. Regarding political partners and allies as afore-mentioned, Russia and Turkic Republics are followed by the EU. Then, the Middle Eastern countries and the USA come by 23.6% and 4.3%, respectively.

- Visa liberalisation is perceived as the most significant subject of Turkey-EU relationship with its share of 32.8%. The modernisation of the Customs Union, refugee cooperation and accession negotiations come afterwards by 31.3%, 27.9% and 6.1%, respectively.