Türkiye’s Policy towards Syrian Asylum Seekers in Light of the Normative Power of the European Union and Carl Schmitt’s Critique of Liberal Democracy

Year 2024, Volume: 33 Issue: 1, 55 - 70, 19.04.2024

Özgür Üzelakçil

https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2024.33.1360063

Abstract

This study analyses Türkiye’s policy towards Syrian asylum seekers in light of the normative power of the European Union (EU) and Carl Schmitt’s critique of liberal democracy. The article hypothesises that Türkiye, under the influence of the EU’s normative power, prioritised the collectivist discourse in its Syrian asylum seeker policy, pushing universal principles to the background, and finally politicising and bringing them to the bargaining process. This hypothesis was tested, using a qualitative research design, with semi-structured interviews conducted with officials from the Türkiye Red Crescent (TRCO), the Presidency of Migration Management Officer (PMMO), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye (MFAO). Furthermore, data was collected through a quantitative survey with non-random sampling from 390 Turkish citizens who were affected by these policies, residing in the Istanbul/Fatih, Mersin/Mezitli, and Kilis city centres, to determine their perceptions. The data shows that Schmitt’s concerns about liberal democracy are reflected in EUoriented Türkiye’s asylum seeker policies. The conflict between the legal texts covering universal human rights and the national interests of EU Members and Türkiye should only be resolved by harmonized universal principles and collectivist consent.

Keywords

Liberal democracy, Asylum seeker policy, Normative power, National interests, Legitimacy

Ethical Statement

I declare that I comply with the ethical principles and have received ethics committee approval.

Supporting Institution

no

Thanks

I would like to thank My advisor Prof. Dr. Kıvanç ULUSOY for his help.

Avrupa Birliği’nin Normatif Gücü ve Carl Schmitt’in Liberal Demokrasi Eleştirisi Işığında Türkiye’nin Suriyeli Sığınmacılara Yönelik Politikası

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Avrupa Birliği’nin (AB) normatif gücü ve Carl Schmitt’in liberal demokrasi eleştirisi ışığında Türkiye’nin Suriyeli sığınmacılara yönelik politikasını analiz etmektedir. Makalenin hipotezi, AB’nin normatif gücünün etkisiyle Türkiye’nin Suriyeli sığınmacı politikasında kolektivist söylemi ön planda tutarak evrensel ilkeleri geri plana ittiği ve son olarak bunları siyasallaştırıp pazarlık sürecine soktuğu yönündedir. Bu iddiayı test etmek amacıyla Türk Kızılayı, Göç İdaresi Müdürlüğü ve Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Dışişleri Bakanlığı yetkilileriyle nitel bir araştırma yöntemi olan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Ayrıca İstanbul/Fatih, Mersin/Mezitli ve Kilis il merkezlerinde ikamet eden ve bu politikalardan etkilenen, tesadüfî olmayan örnekleme yoluyla seçilen 390 Türk vatandaşından algılarını belirlemek amacıyla nicel bir anket yoluyla veriler toplanmıştır. Veriler, Schmitt’in liberal demokrasiye ilişkin kaygılarının AB odaklı Türkiye’nin sığınmacı politikalarına da yansıdığını gösteriyor. Evrensel insan haklarını kapsayan hukuki metinler ile AB üyelerinin ve Türkiye’nin ulusal çıkarları arasındaki çelişki ancak uyumlaştırılmış evrensel ilkeler ve kolektivist rıza ile çözülebilir.

Keywords

Liberal demokrasi, Sığınmacı politikası, Normatif güç, Ulusal çıkarlar, Meşruiyet

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