Human Rights in Turkey during the AKP Rule and EU Perspectives

This chapter analyses the evolution of human rights in Turkey under the AKP’s rule (2002–24) and the shifting dynamics of EU–Turkey relations. It examines three major phases: the early reform era (2002–5), the plateau period (2005–13), and the authoritarian retrenchment phase (2013–24). It assesses key developments in the rule of law, judicial independence, media freedoms, and migration policy, highlighting how EU conditionality initially drove reforms before losing traction amid democratic backsliding. Adopting a neo-Gramscian lens, the chapter explores how domestic and international hegemonic struggles shaped the trajectory of rights protection in Turkey. It concludes that while the EU once functioned as a transformative force, its normative influence has eroded, giving way to a more transactional, fragmented mode of engagement.