Research Papers

The democratization process directed by regional and international organizations collaboration with domestic forces face many different contradictions and problems in the transition countries. One of the most important is domestic opposition pressures under the name of authoritarianism, nationalism or populism. Intense changes both in social and political domestic spheres create an intense oppositions and some kind of historical contradictions and fears about external-internal interactions also feed them. In this sense, the term of ‘ Euroscepticism’ -especially in the political parties- become crucial to determine success or failure of the external democracy promotion by the EU in Turkey. It is crucial because without a Euro-supportive public opinion and europhile governments, European Union’s democracy promotion which based on socialization, persuasion and conditionality efforts can not get an overall success. In this sense, the place and opinions of Turkish political parties about these efforts become important to determine success or failure of democratization efforts due to their key roles to determine the size and ratio of Euroscepticism in public opinion and governments.