In recent years, however, some Islamists have sought power in Turkey through non-violent means.
In the past three years, some 60 Greek companies have invested in Turkey.
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Some senior French politicians have publicly opposed Turkey's membership.
Likewise, Greece, Italy, Turkey and some Latin American nations have been active in searching out looted items that is their cultural heritage.
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In some countries they have gone down, most notably in Turkey, where for a long time just 25 years of contributions entitled a worker to a full pension.
While recent opinion polls continue to show Mr. Erdogan retaining a strong lead over Turkey's opposition, some pollsters have noted that Turkish society has become more polarized under the AKP government.
Some senior politicians in the EU want Turkey to have a partnership deal with the EU, rather than full membership.
"To level the playing field now in the military terms would be to consider no-fly zones, to consider whether the Patriots in Turkey could have a role also in taking on some responsibility for the northern part of Syria, " he said.
Some commentators have warned that a presidential system could weaken democracy in Turkey.
"Some believe that now that relations (with Turkey) have deteriorated again, Syria may have reactivated the group to cause turmoil in Turkey, " said Nihat Ali Ozcan, a terrorism expert at the Ankara-based Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey.
They have lost some friends and two cousins in the war and want to return home but say they will stay in Turkey until it's safe in Syria and the fighting has subsided.
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