The Effect The of European Union on Middle and East Euoropean Countries and Turkey Regarding Democratization

Abstract

Democratization process began in Turkey in 1946 when the multi-party elections took place in Turkey.This democratization period gained speed in 1999 when our country was recognised as a candidate for full membership. The political parties realized some reforms and regulations with the Effect of the European Union (EU) integration process in order to become ready for the Copenhagen criteria and the legal acquis of the EU.

In the past, Middle and European countries had communist regimes. However, at the end of cold war, these contries abandoned their communist regimes about 60 years later in order to get full membership to the EU. Thus, this issue has a cultural and significance at the same time.

EU has an important role in the democratization period for the Middle and East European countries. After the collapse of the Eastern bloc, the EU has decided itself to the transformation period for the Middle and East European countries. Although there is no consensus on the definition of Democratization from the EU perspective, we are going to look into the concept of Democratization in line with the European Union criteria in the first section of this study.

In the second part, the demands about political criteria (democracy, rule ol law, human rights of minorities, institutional stability) of the EU from the candidate countries are categorized. In the third and fourth parts, the process of Turkey, Middle and East European countries have been explaned. The final part states the EU is more succesful on the matter of Democratization for the Middle East European countries.