The evolution of minority rights within the EU enlargement process and its reflections on EU-Türkiye relations: From 1990 to the present

Abstract

Following the end of the Cold War, the European Union (EU) redefined its normative power by integrating principles of democratization, human rights, and particularly minority rights into its enlargement strategy. This study analyzes the instrumental role of minority rights in the EU’s external relations through a three-period framework: 1990–2000, 2000–2010, and the post-2010 era. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of liberal pluralism and the concept of the EU as a normative power, the paper investigates how minority rights have functioned as a tool of conditionality in EU enlargement, with a specific focus on Turkey. It finds that Turkey’s reform momentum, particularly evident in the early 2000s, significantly slowed in the post-2010 period due to shifting priorities toward security and migration at both the EU and domestic levels.