Tactical constructivism and the enlargement of the European Union: Türkiye as a strategic partner and normative challenge in the fields of migration and energy

ENLARGEMENT AND THE FUTURE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION Tactical constructivism and the enlargement of the European Union Türkiye as a strategic partner and normative challenge in the fields of migration and energy 1 André Pereira Matos INTRODUCTION The relationship between the European Union (EU) and Türkiye has historically been marked by dynamic complexity, reflecting a combination of political, economic, cultural and geostrategic factors. As a candidate for accession since 1989, Türkiye has played a central role in the EU’s strategic considerations, especially in the areas of migration management and energy security. This complexity highlights the importance of theoretical approaches that recognise the diversity of motivations and strategies of international actors. In that line, the present article has adopted tactical constructivism, as proposed by Steele, Gould, and Kessler,2 as an innovative lens deemed appropriate for explaining the selective instrumentalisation of norms in contexts of strategic interdependence. Unlike conventional constructivism, which tends to assume a stable internalisation of norms and identities, tactical constructivism presumes that actors are able to strategically mobilise norms, shaping them according to contextual interests. This approach aims to analyse the dynamics between normative rhetoric and pragmatic practices, especially in cases in which the narrative on values serves to legitimise decisions that contradict those same values.3 ABSTRACT T his article analyses the relationship between the European Union and Türkiye in the context of Enlargement Policy, using migration and energy as case studies. The research sought to explore how normative dynamics between the European Union and Türkiye develop in contexts of asymmetric cooperation, using the theoretical framework of tactical constructivism to understand how norms are strategically mobilised. Methodologically, a comparative study was applied based on a most-different systems design logic. The analysis showed that, in both migration and energy, the Union adopts a selective and pragmatic stance towards its normative commitments, while Türkiye instrumentalises its geopolitical position to obtain strategic benefits. The study highlighted the tensions between normativity and pragmatism, contributing to the debate on the external coherence of the European Union, particularly in the context of its Policy on Enlargement. Keywords: enlargement, tactical constructivism, Türkiye, European Union. > RELAÇÕES INTERNACIONAIS SPECIAL ISSUE : 2025 [ pp. 099-118 ] https://doi.org/10.23906/ri2025.sia08 Its usefulness in studying EU-Türkiye relations lies preRESUMO cisely in its ability to capture how both actors use norms – such as human rights, the rule of law, or migration manConstrutivismo tático e o alargamento da agement – as instruments of political negotiation. União Europeia: a In this article, two concepts emerge as central to the Turquia como parceira analysis: functional interdependence and tactical norms. estratégica e desafio normativo nos The first refers to phenomena in which two agents, domínios das migrações despite power asymmetries, depend on each other to e da energia achieve specific operational objectives – a concept based presente artigo analisa as relações on the seminal work of Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye,4 entre a União Europeia e a Turquia no contexto da Política de Alaras well as its application to the Turkish case by Aydingamento, usando como estudos de Düzgit and Rumeli.5 The second refers to the instrumencaso os domínios das migrações e da energia. A investigação procurou tal appropriation of norms for strategic purposes, explorar como as dinâmicas normatiwithout this implying an ethical commitment to their vas entre a União Europeia e a Turquia se desenvolvem em contextos de coosubstantive content.6 Both concepts will be operationalperação assimétrica, recorrendo ao ised throughout the article and articulated with the enquadramento teórico do construtivismo tático para compreender de que empirical framework of EU-Türkiye relations in the fields forma as normas são mobilizadas of migration and energy. estrategicamente. Metodologicamente, aplicou-se um estudo comparativo Türkiye’s geopolitical importance has been amplified by baseado numa lógica de most-different a series of significant events, including the attempted systems design. A análise mostrou que, tanto nas migrações como na energia, coup in 2016, the war in Ukraine, and recurring migration a União adota uma postura seletiva e crises. These developments have not only impacted Türpragmática face aos seus compromissos normativos, enquanto a Turquia kiye’s internal stability but also redefined its role as a key instrumentaliza a sua posição geopoplayer in the Union’s external relations strategy. Faced lítica para obter benefícios estratégiwith these multiple challenges, including energy dependcos. O estudo evidenciou as tensões entre normatividade e pragmatismo, ence and migratory pressures, the EU has sought to contribuindo para o debate sobre a coeachieve a delicate balance between maintaining its norrência externa da União Europeia, em particular no quadro da sua Política mative commitments and adopting pragmatic strategies de Alargamento. to ensure cooperation with Türkiye, doing so in the Palavras-chave: alargamento, construtibroader framework of Enlargement Policy. vismo tático, Turquia, União Europeia. Against this backdrop, the article at hand endeavours to explore the following question: how are European standards used as strategic tools in the EU’s Enlargement Policy towards Türkiye, shaping the dynamics of this process and cooperation in critical sectors? The methodology adopted is based on a comparative ‘most-different systems design’ type case study, which allows for the analysis of two distinct sectors – migration and energy – in which, despite their functional differences, similar patterns of normative behaviour can be observed. The analysis will be developed relying on primary sources (institutional documents, official speeches, treaties) and secondary sources (scientific literature, public policy reports). The choice of this methodological strategy is inspired O Tactical constructivism and the enlargement of the European Union André Pereira Matos 100 by works such as those by George and Bennett7 and Landman,8 which focus on identifying causal mechanisms through functional contrasts. The article is structured into four main sections. The first presents the theoretical framework, focusing on the evolution of constructivism up to its tactical aspect. The second and third sections delve into, respectively, the domains of migration and energy, applying the theoretical model to EU-Türkiye dynamics. The fourth section offers a comparison between the two cases, highlighting how norms and interdependence are mobilised selectively. Finally, the conclusion summarises the main findings, a (...truncated)