EU–Turkey Accession Negotiations: Towards a Diplomatic Failure?

The ongoing EU–Turkey accession negotiations are probably the most complex talks related to the enlargement process in the EU’s history. Although they were initiated in 2005, so far both sides have managed to provisionally close only one out of 35 negotiation chapters. What’s more, the bilateral relations between the EU and Turkey are growing more and more tense. The most recent developments only prove that the talks may grind to a halt. It seems that both sides are tired of the endless negotiations and unexpected events, like the 2016 coup d’état in Turkey. The main aim of this article is to analyse the current political developments related to EU–Turkey negotiations in detail and find answers to two research questions. Will Turkey and the European Union face a diplomatic failure? What are the potential short-term scenarios?