German Foreign Minister: Turkey Under Erdogan Will Never Join the European Union

Sigmar Gabriel, the German Foreign Minister, stated on Thursday, August 24, that as long as Recep Tayyip Erdogan governs Turkey, the country will never become a member of the European Union. Reuters reports that Sigmar Gabriel made these remarks in an interview with the popular newspaper 'Bild', which is set to be published on Friday, and these statements are likely to exacerbate tensions between the two countries. He also accused Erdogan's government of causing the failure of Turkey's EU accession talks. In this interview, the German Foreign Minister said: 'It is very clear that given the current situation, Turkey will never be a member of the European Union. The reason for this is not that we do not want it, but because the Turkish government and (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan are moving away from all the values that the EU stands for.' EU leaders have strongly criticized the repression of dissent in Turkey following last year's failed coup. Meanwhile, Turkey's EU accession negotiations have effectively stalled. Reuters notes that Turkey's Western allies believe that the recent constitutional referendum, which increased presidential powers, will further distance the country from democratic standards. Erdogan has defended the repression of dissent and the expansion of presidential powers, stating that such measures are necessary to confront Turkey's challenges. In recent months, relations between Germany and Turkey have soured. Erdogan previously criticized Angela Merkel, claiming that the German Chancellor is fueling disputes between Germany and Turkey 'in a Nazi-like manner.' Since last year, a state of emergency has been in effect in Turkey, under which many media outlets have been shut down and numerous dissenters have been arrested. In this context, the German Foreign Minister announced a change in Berlin's policy towards Turkey.