The European Union is a successful, sui generis peace project that has constructed an integrated, stable and prosperous Europe. Though the recent internal and external challenges have raised questions on the capacity of the Union to overcome international matters, the Union is still considered as an important global actor of soft power. E. H. Carr wrote as early in 1939, power over opinion is the third kind of power other than military power and economic power. While Morgenthau addresses the significance of prestige in international relations, Nye stresses the importance of international image and soft power which relies on the capability of attraction with shared values. The norms and values of democracy, freedom, human rights, rule of law and adherence to peace championed by the EU are significant assets of the Union’s soft power. On the other hand, the enlargement process can also be regarded as a part of the EU’s exerting soft power. The enlargement process and the possibility of membership offer a valuable instrument of attraction for the neighboring countries.
The pursuit of membership to the EU has always been a significant issue in Turkey’s foreign policy. It is a common perception that the relationship between the European Union and Turkey is an exceptional one. Turkey- the EU relations are actually beyond the bilateral relations. It is also a matter of the whole European integration. The membership of Turkey also represents a new identity of Europe. From a constructivist approach, the membership of Turkey means a new defining of both sides’ identities. Moreover, the relations between Turkey and the EU offer a meaning for the Union’s soft power capability. The recent developments in the Eastern Europe and the Middle East have brought new global challenges to the world agenda, such as the dramatic refugee crisis occurred after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. Meanwhile, the EU has had its own crises, not only in the economical field but also in terms of politics. While the global distribution of power demonstrates signal shifts, the EU has to deal with new problems and need to establish a new narrative to express itself to the outer world. In this climate of internal and external turmoil, the relations, cooperation and communication between the Union and Turkey have become more crucial. This paper will attempt to analyze how the EU is perceived in Turkish foreign policy in the light of the recent global and regional challenges that shape the 21st century international relations. As the social construction of the EU still lasts, affected by the relations with other actors; the investigation of the Union’s perception by Turkey will contribute to the understanding of the EU’s foreign policy as a global player.
