This week, the focus is on Turkey and what's at stake in elections happening May 14. We also hear from British writer and scholar Hugh Pope, who has written extensively on modern Turkey and tackles the long-standing issue of EU accession.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Head of News Christian Oliver and Turkish journalist Elçin Poyrazlar. They discuss tensions on the ground as election day approaches and the possible fall-out should incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lose. The panel also considers the growing cost of living crisis in Turkey and opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's chances of holding together a shaky alliance in the event of victory.

British writer and scholar Hugh Pope provides us with historical context to EU-Turkey relations, especially when it comes to the long-contested issue of joining the bloc. He explains why the idea of Turkey joining the EU might never come to pass.

Finally, this week marked Europe Day commemorating the Schuman Declaration of 1950 and we ask the significance of Robert Schuman in our decoding Brussels segment.

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297: Last Listener Encounters of 2021!