Turkey has become the first NATO country to formally apply for membership in BRICS, a cooperation group of emerging world economies. The application was confirmed during a press conference by a spokesperson for President Erdoğan. According to Turkey, membership should not replace other international partnerships but rather be an addition to them.

“Our president has repeatedly stated that we want to join BRICS,” the spokesperson said. “That process is now in full swing. Turkey wants to participate in all key decision-making bodies, including BRICS.” The choice to join BRICS, according to Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam Beste İşleyen, is no surprise: “Turkey has been seeking alternatives to the European Union for some time. BRICS is an obvious choice because it is a global partnership. It would not be possible for Turkey to join an Asian or Latin American alliance due to geographical restrictions. BRICS does not have that issue, as it is broader than a single continent or region.”

BRICS
The name of the organization, established in 2009, is an acronym for the original members Brazil, Russia, India, and China. In 2010, South Africa also joined the group. At the beginning of 2023, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates also became members. Since these countries are all at a similar stage of economic development, the partnership is becoming an increasingly important political and economic organization. The goal of the cooperation is to offer a real counterbalance to Western power.

Reducing Western dominance is also in Turkey’s interest, according to Professor of International Studies and Global Politics at Leiden University André Gerrits. “Economically and politically, BRICS membership is very attractive for Turkey. The country also has ambitions to play a growing role, especially in the Middle East,” said Gerrits. “By joining BRICS, Turkey’s standing will be greatly enhanced, which in turn increases the room for maneuver that Turkey wants to claim for itself.”

Turkey and the European Union
While BRICS membership seems to offer some advantages for Turkey, it cannot replace the relationship with Europe. The country has not hidden its desire to join the European Union in recent years. In December 1999, Turkey was granted EU candidate status, and accession negotiations began in October 2005. However, due to ongoing setbacks in areas like democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights, negotiations have been on hold since June 2018. “However, half of Turkey’s exports still go to the European Union,” İşleyen noted. “The BRICS countries cannot easily replace that.”

Nevertheless, according to Gerrits, the chances of Turkey becoming an EU member in the near future are slim. “There isn’t a single Turkish politician who currently sees that as a realistic option,” he explained. “It’s not that Turkey has abandoned those aspirations, but they are not putting all of their eggs in one basket.”