EU warns Türkiye is moving further from membership as restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights, media freedom and local democracy deepen concerns
Türkiye is moving further away from its goal of joining the European Union as recent measures affecting LGBTQ+ rights, media freedom and local democracy widen its gap with the bloc’s democratic standards, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said Friday. Speaking in Edirne, Kos said the EU still wants deeper cooperation with Türkiye because of Europe’s changing geopolitical environment, but warned that Ankara’s membership ambitions remain constrained by unresolved concerns over rights and democracy.
“The latest developments affecting media freedom, the rights of the LGBTQI+ people and local democracy are widening the gap with Türkiye’s objective of joining the EU,” Kos said. She added that the EU’s annual enlargement report, due on October 28, would reflect Brussels’ “serious concerns” and said she would not shy away from stating the facts “publicly and clearly.”
Her comments came after a Turkish court last week blocked access to independent news outlet T24’s website and social media accounts after authorities said it had published 118 pieces of content over the previous year deemed “LGBT propaganda.” The measure was part of the “My Family is Safe” investigation, which the government says is intended to protect children and family values but has drawn criticism from rights groups and the EU.
Despite the dispute over democratic standards, Kos stressed that Türkiye has become more strategically important to the EU amid regional conflicts, particularly the expansion of the Russia-Ukraine war into the Black Sea. Ankara and Brussels are pursuing closer cooperation on issues including a targeted update of their customs union, while Türkiye is also seeking participation in EU initiatives including SAFE, SEPA and “Made in Europe.”
Türkiye has been an official EU candidate since 1999 and began accession negotiations in 2005, but the process has effectively been at a standstill for years amid disputes over the rule of law, fundamental rights and democratic standards. Ankara has continued to seek closer economic and security ties with the bloc even as progress toward full membership has remained frozen.
