Turkish elections: All good?

The reports in media about the Turkish elections, but also comments by Western European leaders, have been very mainstream. Most commentators seem to agree that the Islamic-rooted AKP has implemented important reforms domestically, while pursuing a pro-EU foreign policy. Pretty good for an Islamic-rooted party, Westerns seem to say, and thus their election victory is welcomed.

One thing I would like to know/read more about is how and why the AKP can stay so EU-positive when major EU-countries (read: CDU-lead Germany and Gaullist-led France) are so negative vis-à-vis Turkey?

From a social democratic standpoint it is important to note that Morgan Johansson, Minister of Health in the Swedish government 2002-2006, has called for the exclusion of the party CHP from the Socialist International. Morgan is the Swedish Social Democratic member in the PES-committee monitoring Turkey’s negotiations for EU-membership. His main argument is the way in which the CHP blocked the election of Abdullah Gül as new President of Turkey.

I don’t know enough about the matter, but Morgan is always very knowledgable when it comes to these questions. I am open for any arguments or reading suggestions.

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Don’t miss that my good friend Claes Nordmark is blogging like crazy from Turkey [in Swedish].