The European Union’s Refugee Crisis and Türkiye: An Assessment Through the Syrian Case

Abstract

This study examines the effects of the EU–Türkiye Migration Agreement on the Syrian crisis and Türkiye’s refugee policies, while evaluating the tension between the EU’s normative power identity and its strategic interests. Although the existing literature has addressed the agreement’s impact on the short-term security of migrants, studies that systematically explore the EU’s long-term conflict between normative power and strategic interests remain limited. To fill this gap, the study analyzes the inconsistencies between values and interests in the EU through the lens of normative power theory. The research investigates the agreement’s measures that restrict the movement of migrants from Syria to Europe, Türkiye’s refugee protection policies, and the implications for the EU’s international prestige. The findings indicate that the EU’s security-oriented interests have often prevailed over humanitarian responsibility and normative values, thereby weakening its international reputation. Discussions surrounding Türkiye’s “safe third country” status highlight both the humanitarian and strategic dimensions of the agreement. By addressing the existing theoretical and analytical gap in the literature, this study systematically explains the value–policy conflict within the context of the EU–Türkiye Migration Agreement. Both the EU’s normative power identity and Türkiye’s refugee protection practices are evaluated within a holistic framework that considers long-term international policy and moral prestige.

Keywords

• Syria
• European Union
• Türkiye
• Refugee policy
• Migration agreement

Avrupa Birliği’nin Mülteci Krizi ve Türkiye: Suriye Örneği Üzerinden Bir Değerlendirme

Abstract

Bu çalışma, AB–Türkiye Göç Mutabakatı’nın Suriye krizine dair etkilerini ve Türkiye’nin mülteci politikalarını incelerken, AB’nin normatif güç kimliği ile stratejik çıkarları arasındaki gerilimi değerlendirmektedir. Mevcut literatür, mutabakatın göçmenlerin kısa vadeli güvenliği üzerindeki etkilerini ele almış olsa da, AB’nin uzun vadeli normatif güç ve stratejik çıkar çatışmasını sistematik olarak inceleyen çalışmalar sınırlıdır. Bu boşluğu doldurmak amacıyla çalışma, normatif güç teorisi çerçevesinde AB’nin değerler ve çıkarlar arasındaki tutarsızlıklarını analiz etmektedir. Araştırma, Suriye’den gelen göçmenlerin Avrupa’ya ulaşımını engelleyen mutabakat uygulamalarını, Türkiye’deki mülteci koruma politikalarını ve AB’nin uluslararası prestijine olan etkilerini incelemektedir. Bulgular, AB’nin güvenlik odaklı çıkarlarının, insani sorumluluk ve normatif değerlerin önüne geçtiğini ve bu durumun AB’nin uluslararası prestijini zayıflattığını göstermektedir. Türkiye’nin “güvenli üçüncü ülke” statüsü tartışmaları, mutabakatın hem insani hem stratejik boyutlarını öne çıkarmaktadır. Çalışma, literatürdeki mevcut teorik ve analitik boşluğu doldurarak, AB–Türkiye Göç Mutabakatı bağlamında değerler–politika çatışmasını sistematik biçimde açıklamaktadır. Hem AB’nin normatif güç kimliği hem de Türkiye’nin mülteci koruma uygulamaları, uzun vadeli uluslararası politika ve ahlaki prestij açısından bütüncül bir çerçevede değerlendirilmektedir.

Keywords

• Suriye
• Avrupa Birliği
• Türkiye
• Mülteci politikası
• Göç mutabakatı

Ethical Statement

Çalışmada Etik Beyan bildirecek durum yoktur.

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