Commentary
Migration is one of many characteristics of the Turks, whose migration from central Asia to the West began thousands of years ago and continues today. Since the Turks first set foot on Anatolian soil, they have had an ambiguous relation with the West. Surely, this relation was, since the founding of the Ottoman empire in 1299, not only marked by warlike conflicts. In fact, many wives of Ottoman sultans have had European roots, which was not by accident. Also not insignificant is the number of Osman viziers who were born and raised in Europe.
The Ottoman’s orientation towards the West was inherited by the Republic of Turkey founded in 1923. Social and political reforms that were initiated by the Ottoman empire in its last 200 years, back then already suffering from disintegration and stagnation, have been continued in the modern Republic of Turkey. Shortly afterwards, in 1963, with the Agreement Creating An Association Between The Republic of Turkey and the European Economic Community, Turkey’s path towards further Europeanisation became officially stipulated.
Turkish men and women living in the EU today add a special dimension to Turkey’s process of Europeanisation. The Bilateral Recruitment Agreement with then–West Germany will have its 50th anniversary next year. Today, 4.5 million Turks are living in different EU countries – over half of them (2.5 million) in Germany. These Turks who came as Gastarbeiter (guest workers), labeled as ‘strangers’, ‘German-Turks’ and ‘migrants’ have become a part of the European integration process and today see themselves as ‘European Turks’. Unfortunately, this process of Europeanisation is not perceived by governments as the beginning of a new developing European awareness but, especially in Germany, reduced to the semantics of language and integration problems.
Against this backdrop, we have the successes of the German-Turkish football player with Mesut Özil, as well as the leader of the German Green Party and former Member of European Parliament Cem Özdemir. These men’s experiences cannot be reduced only to successful integration policies but are also the outcome of the Europeanisation process.
These are just two examples indicating that the long-lasting migration of the Turks towards Europe have arrived in European society. Additionally, since 2008 Turkish men and women lawfully residing within the EU have the right to acquire EC long-term resident status. This allows Turkish citizens lawfully residing in the EU to reside in a Member State other than their host country for six years without further permits and even to acquire a work permit upon finding a job. Thus, Turkish citizens in the EU have almost the same fundamental freedom rights as EU citizens in respect to free movement.
As a matter of fact, not only the integration and language problems but also the process of Europeanisation is well received by the Turks living in the EU. When German Chancellor Angela Merkel, applauded Mesut Özil’s goal during the European qualifications, she actually applauded the very awareness of Turkish people to be a part of Europe.
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Commentary
Non-EU nationals in the EU – the case of Turkey
Commentary
Migration is one of many characteristics of the Turks, whose migration from central Asia to the West began thousands of years ago and continues today. Since the Turks first set foot on Anatolian soil, they have had an ambiguous relation with the West. Surely, this relation was, since the founding of the Ottoman empire in 1299, not only marked by warlike conflicts. In fact, many wives of Ottoman sultans have had European roots, which was not by accident. Also not insignificant is the number of Osman viziers who were born and raised in Europe.
The Ottoman’s orientation towards the West was inherited by the Republic of Turkey founded in 1923. Social and political reforms that were initiated by the Ottoman empire in its last 200 years, back then already suffering from disintegration and stagnation, have been continued in the modern Republic of Turkey. Shortly afterwards, in 1963, with the Agreement Creating An Association Between The Republic of Turkey and the European Economic Community, Turkey’s path towards further Europeanisation became officially stipulated.
Turkish men and women living in the EU today add a special dimension to Turkey’s process of Europeanisation. The Bilateral Recruitment Agreement with then–West Germany will have its 50th anniversary next year. Today, 4.5 million Turks are living in different EU countries – over half of them (2.5 million) in Germany. These Turks who came as Gastarbeiter (guest workers), labeled as ‘strangers’, ‘German-Turks’ and ‘migrants’ have become a part of the European integration process and today see themselves as ‘European Turks’. Unfortunately, this process of Europeanisation is not perceived by governments as the beginning of a new developing European awareness but, especially in Germany, reduced to the semantics of language and integration problems.
Against this backdrop, we have the successes of the German-Turkish football player with Mesut Özil, as well as the leader of the German Green Party and former Member of European Parliament Cem Özdemir. These men’s experiences cannot be reduced only to successful integration policies but are also the outcome of the Europeanisation process.
These are just two examples indicating that the long-lasting migration of the Turks towards Europe have arrived in European society. Additionally, since 2008 Turkish men and women lawfully residing within the EU have the right to acquire EC long-term resident status. This allows Turkish citizens lawfully residing in the EU to reside in a Member State other than their host country for six years without further permits and even to acquire a work permit upon finding a job. Thus, Turkish citizens in the EU have almost the same fundamental freedom rights as EU citizens in respect to free movement.
As a matter of fact, not only the integration and language problems but also the process of Europeanisation is well received by the Turks living in the EU. When German Chancellor Angela Merkel, applauded Mesut Özil’s goal during the European qualifications, she actually applauded the very awareness of Turkish people to be a part of Europe.
Tags: Commentary