Mr. Juncker added that a reintroduction of the death penalty following the failed coup attempt in the country would automatically stop negotiations for Turkey’s bid to join the EU.
 
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu responded only hours later, saying: “EU officials must not make threatening statements on Turkey not joining the bloc. We won’t be discouraged by their threats… No offence, but Juncker cannot talk by looking down to Turkey. We won’t accept that.”
 
The reintroduction of death penalty continues to be discussed in Turkey over a week after the coup attempt. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the AKP government have often indicated since the coup that they would be not against the reintroduction in principle if there is enough popular support for it. No bill to implement the measure however has made it to Turkey’s parliament or is known to be in the making yet.
 
The coming weeks are likely to show whether the death penalty debate is merely being drawn out for post-coup populism or Turkey’s lawmakers seriously consider the question.
 
Turkey has seen a steady decline in popular support for EU membership in the past years. The country first applied to join the organization in 1987.