In the celebration of the past successes Turkey may not be present, but in building its future the EU will have existential problems without Turkey. The maintenance of long-term peace in Europe requires Turkey’s full membership.
The greatest challenge for the EU in the years ahead is its cultural diversities within itself. This has become an acute problem as the EU countries could not address it, apart from adopting stricter immigration policies and more intolerant assimilation programs, which have exacerbated the situation.
One aspect of the challenge for Europe is the presence of ever-increasing numbers of Muslims in Europe. This process cannot be reversed. The Europeans have to learn how to live better with the Muslims, developing a sense of mutual respect, understanding and cooperation. Both Muslims and non-Muslims in the EU must understand that they now share a common destiny.
According to a Pew Forum report published in October 2005, the number of Muslims on the continent has tripled in the last 30 years, reaching 20 million, and is expected to increase similarly or even more so in coming decades. A modest prediction is that by 2020, Muslims in the EU will constitute 10 percent of the population, numbering around 45 million. This is a sizeable number and extremely difficult to “assimilate” against its wishes.
The question of how to integrate these Muslims into the European institutions, processes and culture, and make them feel at “home” in Europe, gain their hearts and minds and thus make them identify with the EU, is a major policy challenge. It is in fact not only a policy challenge but also, as argued by many, a security challenge. Racist and xenophobic movements have strengthened their support base in reaction to the presence of Muslims in Europe, as observed in various European countries. This attitude has also influenced mainstream governments in Europe, as seen in the anti-terror measures taken in recent years, fueling further discrimination, segregation and hatred. Just remember the Paris riots the other year.
Thus, in order to preserve the liberal democracy and peace in the continent that are at stake in the face of growing racist movements, Europe should be able to develop new avenues of integration for the Muslim immigrants. It is no way possible to wipe out millions of Muslims in Europe, contrary to the beliefs of those racists who may face a bloody “civil war.” Once violently confronted those Euro-Muslims, with their resentment, anger and their sense of alienation will “fight” back. They will not submit to being pushed back into ghettos or being put in concentration camps without organized, widespread and violent uprisings. Furthermore in this they will not be alone but with nearly 2 billion other Muslims worldwide. This may sound like a nightmare scenario, yet it is the ultimate destination of a clash of civilizations attitude.
It is better to avoid a clash of civilizations in Europe, and for Europe to remember that it is has more to lose.
Turkish accession may well be the remedy to the problem of integration for those Muslim immigrants in Europe. As Turkey becomes a member, this will certainly ease the sense of exclusion and alienation felt by Euro-Muslims, who will think that they are not alone and insecure in Europe. Turkish membership will demonstrate that the EU is not a Christian club, but a multi-cultural entity that is capable of absorbing approximately 80 million Turks. Euro-Muslims are likely to be at peace with a Europe that welcomes millions of Muslims as full and equal members of the European family of nations. As the Turks would also call themselves Europeans, those other Muslims would also lose some mental distance from Europe and be better able to identify themselves with this new Europe that welcomes an Islamic identity as one of its constituting elements.
Some in the EU oppose Turkish membership on religious or cultural grounds. Given the challenges of cultural integration that lie ahead for the EU, Turkey’s Islamic character should be seen as an asset for the EU to address and integrate the Muslims already in Europe, and by this measure help to preserve a long peace in the continent.
