Forty-five years after their country’s first bid for membership of the European Union, many Turks still display ambivalence over the country’s possible accession.

One reason for the apathy is that the EU has almost never been able to speak to Turkey with one voice. Even today, there are different messages being transmitted to Ankara. Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France, wants to redefine Europe’s borders to exclude Turkey. Senior European Commission officials, meanwhile, still insist that Turkey’s entry can be realised.