At present, the European Union has twenty-eight member states, most of which play a crucial role in the overall success of the union. Although over the past decade five countries have applied to join the EU, none has waited to join as long as Turkey. Turkey has been a candidate for membership in the European Union since 1987 and although many believe that it has proven that it is stable and could bring positive things to Europe, some still think otherwise. This essay will examine whether or not Turkey should be allowed to join the EU or whether its past and current reputation has begun to hinder such membership. This essay will also address the public and political disputes surrounding the issue. Ankara, Turkey's two main cities, would not only strengthen trade, but also regenerate positive relations with rapidly developing regions such as Central Asia, which would be an overall optimistic move for the European Union. Turkey already has a vibrant democracy and there are a range of political parties that represent the views of the Turkish people. Since the founding of Turkey in 1923, the government has practiced a strong value of secularism. This shows the rest of the world that Turkey takes its religious and political affairs seriously and that no religion is above the law. The possibility of EU membership has helped Turkey move forward, move away from its archaic policies and improve the human rights situation. Another reason why Turkey should be admitted to the EU is that it is a country which, by sharing borders with these countries, becomes involved in a conflict which does not necessarily have to do with them. To go further, if the European Union agreed to allow a “non-European” country to join, then this would set a precedent for other countries to start applying for membership. Although if Turkey joined the European Union it would attract 70 million more people, this is not a good thing. Economists suggest that Turkey is too big for the European Union to handle and that the projected population by 2050 will exceed 91 million. With this in mind, if Turkey were to join the European Union, it would put a lot of pressure on the European Union. – ADD economists