Deutschland als Verteidiger der EU-Werte: Intrarollenkonflikte in den EU-Türkei-Beitrittsverhandlungen in der Merkel-Ära

This article attempts to explore how Germany’s self-identification as a defender of the fundamental values of the European Union (EU) shapes its stance towards the accession negotiations between the EU and Turkey. It argues that, when defining the appropriate attitude in terms of the accession negotiations, Germany has been confronted with intra-role conflicts. While the German politicians frame their country as a defender of the fundamental values, they are divided over the appropriate policy steps to perform this role vis-à-vis Turkey. These intra-role conflicts, lead not only to domestic political debates, but also to oscillations in German foreign policy towards the accession negotiations.