EU’s Upcoming Turkey Report Expected to Paint Bleaker Picture of Democratic Decline

The European Commission’s annual report on Turkey, expected on October 28, is likely to describe further deterioration in democracy and the rule of law, European Parliament rapporteur Nacho Sánchez Amor said. He pointed to pressure on opposition parties, limits on fundamental freedoms, and recent actions against independent media and opposition-run municipalities. Turkey’s EU accession talks have been effectively stalled since 2018. Sánchez Amor said the report records developments but does not itself trigger major political decisions; any follow-up would be for the Council of the European Union.