'TURKISH CITIZENS BELIEVE EU MEMBERSHIP WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR TURKEY'
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bilal Okudan, the General President of the Turkey Youth Clubs Confederation, stated that they conducted a comprehensive public opinion research to better understand the societal approach to Turkey's European Union (EU) process, and said, "According to the results of the survey, a significant portion of the citizens believe that EU membership will be beneficial for Turkey."
The public opinion survey titled 'Turkey's Full Membership in the European Union: A Field Research on Current Trends and Perceptions,' conducted by the Turkey Youth Clubs Confederation, was carried out with the participation of 1155 people in 81 provinces. The public opinion research, prepared by Dr. Osman Murat Çetin, who works at Gazi University Social Service Studies Application and Research Center, and Dr. Emre Ezin, a Research Assistant at Yozgat Bozok University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, revealed the Turkish people's thoughts on becoming a member of the EU not only as numbers but also as expectations, concerns, and hopes.
'ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS EFFECTIVE IN MAKING THIS PROCESS POSITIVE'
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bilal Okudan, the General President of the Turkey Youth Clubs Confederation, said that they conducted this research to understand what the Turkish people think about this issue after the EU countries made statements that Turkey's membership should be realized. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Okudan stated that a significant portion of Turkish citizens expressed the opinion that EU membership would be beneficial for Turkey, and said, "Especially economic development, increased educational opportunities, and more foreign investments coming to our country have been effective in making this process positive. In addition, 53.5% of the participants stated that European Union membership would benefit our country. In the sub-headings, especially the increase in foreign investments, the expectations of young people to study abroad, and the increase in tourism revenues are at the top of these items. While 41% of those who participated in our survey stated that the European Union would negatively affect Turkish culture, 47% also expressed their concerns that there would be negative developments in religious and cultural terms. With this study, we have seen that our society's view of the European Union process contains rational expectations on the one hand, and is shaped by legitimate criticisms and cultural sensitivities on the other. As young people, our duty is to listen to the voice of society and to ensure that decision-makers also hear this voice, thus contributing to healthier guidance in decision-making mechanisms," he said.
