Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’

Volume: 16 Number: 1 April 1, 2011
  • Emiliano Alessandrı
EN

Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’

Abstract

Italy and Turkey have built over the decades a partnership based on economic cooperation, shared international concerns, and a common vision of Turkey’s future as a member of the European Union. Italian perceptions of Turkey, however, are negatively affected by antiMuslim sentiments among the Italian public. Negative views about Turkey’s post-Kemalist establishment have become more widespread also among Italian elites in the context of the debate on Turkey’s ‘drift from the West’. The “Arab Spring” of 2011, which has forced Ankara to appreciate the common challenges it faces in the MENA region together with the rest of the West, has partly assuaged concerns of a “de-alignment”, confirming that Turkey has specific ambitions but also broadly shares Western strategic assessments. While Rome remains committed to Turkey’s EU aspirations, the fading of the membership perspective since 2005 has led Italian governments to support the accession process mainly as way to further strengthen bilateral ties. The relationship, finally, is adjusting to new power realities. Turkey’s ascent at a time of economic and political difficulties in Italy and in the EU, raises questions of influence in areas of common

Keywords

References

  1. For a comprehensive analysis of Italian political stakeholders on the ‘Turkey question’ and their views on Turkey-EU relations; See, Emiliano Alessandri and Sebastiano Sali, ‘‘Turkey-EU Relations: A View from Italy’’, in Sait Akşit, Özgehan Şenyuva and Çiğdem Üstun (eds.), Turkey Watch: EU Member States’ Perceptions on Turkey’s Accession to the EU, Ankara, CES-METU, 2010.
  2. On the determinants and drivers of Italian foreign policy, see, Riccardo Alcaro, ‘‘Catching the Change of the Tide. Italy’s Security Policy under Post-Cold War Elites’’, The International Spectator, Vol. 45, No. 1 (March 2010), pp. 131-145.
  3. For an early presentation of this argument see former Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema, ‘‘L’Italia alleato critico della Turchia in Europa’’, Il Sole 24 Ore, 13 June 2007.
  4. Giorgio Napolitano, ‘‘Eredità del passato e sfide del futuro: Turchia e Europa nei nuovi equilibri del mondo globale’’, at http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/Continua.aspx?tipo=Discorso&key=1726 [last visited 25 March 2011].
  5. For a history of ENI and its rise as a multinational corporation, see Nico Perrone, Enrico Mattei, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2001; See also, Claudio Corduas, Impresa e Cultura. L’Utopia dell’ENI, Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 2006.
  6. For a discussion see Emiliano Alessandri and Ebru Canan, “Mamma li Turchi : Just an Old Italian Saying”, in Nathalie Tocci (ed.), Talking Turkey in Europe: Towards a Differentiated Communication Strategy, Quaderni Istituto Affari Internazionali, English Series No. 13, December 2008, pp. 11-41.
  7. For a sample of this ideological line, see Marcello Pera and Joseph Ratzinger, Senza Radici, Milano, Mondadori, 2004.
  8. See the articles and slogans in the ‘‘No-to-Turkey’’ page of the website of the ‘‘Movimento Giovani Padani’’ (the youth organization within the Northern League), at http://www.giovanipadani.leganord. org/noturchia.asp [last visited 15 March 2011].

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

-

Journal Section

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Authors

Emiliano Alessandrı This is me

Publication Date

April 1, 2011

Submission Date

-

Acceptance Date

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Published in Issue

Year 2011 Volume: 16 Number: 1

APA
Alessandrı, E. (2011). Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’. PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs, 16(1), 91-110. https://izlik.org/JA64PC27AG
AMA
1.Alessandrı E. Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’. PERCEPTIONS. 2011;16(1):91-110. https://izlik.org/JA64PC27AG
Chicago
Alessandrı, Emiliano. 2011. “Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’”. PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs 16 (1): 91-110. https://izlik.org/JA64PC27AG.
EndNote
Alessandrı E (April 1, 2011) Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’. PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs 16 1 91–110.
IEEE
[1]E. Alessandrı, “Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’”, PERCEPTIONS, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 91–110, Apr. 2011, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA64PC27AG
ISNAD
Alessandrı, Emiliano. “Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’”. PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs 16/1 (April 1, 2011): 91-110. https://izlik.org/JA64PC27AG.
JAMA
1.Alessandrı E. Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’. PERCEPTIONS. 2011;16:91–110.
MLA
Alessandrı, Emiliano. “Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’”. PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs, vol. 16, no. 1, Apr. 2011, pp. 91-110, https://izlik.org/JA64PC27AG.
Vancouver
1.Emiliano Alessandrı. Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’. PERCEPTIONS [Internet]. 2011 Apr. 1;16(1):91-110. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA64PC27AG