While simultaneously reacting to the conflict between Israel and Hamas and conducting another wave of arrests in the Ergenekon case, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey's prime minister, suddenly appointed Egemen Baðýþ as Turkey's chief EU negotiator. Time will tell if this indicates a rekindling of the EU accession process after nearly three years of lethargy and growing political and public disinterest.

In the meantime, the Prime Minister's tolerance for dissent and freedom of the press is wearing thin and authoritarian tendencies are rising. The Turkish government has also, however, recently launched a Kurdish channel on state television. In short, with or without the EU process, pressures from
society for widened rights and freedoms ultimately do get a response. The discipline of the EU process, however, is needed for Turkey to avoid the pitfalls of illiberal populism and move toward a consolidated democracy.