The Turkish nation is a paradox in the eyes of many who seek a clear break between the West and its associated values ​​and culture and those of the rest of the world. world. Often seen as an example that Islam and Western values ​​are not incompatible, Turkey appears to straddle a fine line between distinct Westernization and deep roots in Middle Eastern culture and values. Turkey is one of two nations designated as electoral democracies in the Middle East by Freedom House, along with Israel, but the majority of the population is Muslim. For many, the current state of Turkish democracy, its long-standing membership in NATO, its close ties with the West and the relative cosmopolitanism of cities like Ankara and Istanbul seem to indicate a Turkey clearly linked to the Western world, or even, simply a predominantly Muslim part. It would seem natural to suggest that Turkey's membership in the EU is appropriate, given that Turkey is, in this view, a nation culturally and historically linked to Europe and the West. This attitude does not, however, hide the substantial criticisms formulated against this idea of ​​a westernized Türkiye. Although Turkey is considered an electoral democracy that regularly holds free and fair elections, it has had a tumultuous history of military coups, passed laws inconsistent with European human rights standards and is acting in defiance of international law by continuing the occupation of Cyprus. Is Turkey part of the West, and therefore a natural member of the EU, or something completely different? It can indeed be concluded that while Turkey is decidedly different from the Middle East as a whole due to its democratic institutions and a relatively Western middle of paper......which, despite its de jure equality, still remains strongly patriarchal. While the Turkish government bans the wearing of headscarves in government buildings, the majority of Turkish women continue to wear headscarves. Domestic violence is a worrying thing, with all comments contributing to the assertion that in many ways, beyond a certain Western veneer, Turkish society itself is fundamentally at odds with Western norms. To be considered as a possible candidate for EU membership, it is necessary to take into account a completely different set of concerns. Opposition to Turkish membership from other EU member states is not insignificant, with a large majority of the European electorate opposed to Turkish membership. However, we must ask ourselves whether Turkey's membership is a reasonable objective or not...