Religion and the European UnionThe European Union, or EU, has existed in its modern form since its creation with the signing of the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993. Since then, fifteen countries joined it. the EU, bringing the number of member countries to 27. Countries must meet strict standards when applying for EU membership, as many factors determine whether their membership application is approved or refused. Religion is not specified as one of these factors, but it nevertheless appears to be a detrimental factor in Turkey's acceptance into the EU. Turkey is 99.8% Muslim and has applied for admission to the EU (The World Factbook). Religion plays an important role in the acceptance and refusal of candidate countries for membership in the EU. Turkey is the candidate with the largest gap between its predominant religion and that of most EU countries. The Turkish government claims to be secular, but strives to spread the Alevi form of the Muslim faith in its country. The Turkish legislature also governs Islam in its country. Turkey supports a particular church far more than any other EU country. This creates a blatant schism between Turkey and the rest of the EU, providing even more reasons not to accept Turkey as a member state. Adherence to the Alevi form of Islam in turn leads to discrimination against people belonging to other faiths. Turkish schoolchildren must attend schools where they have been taught Islam, and laws restricting forms of Islam other than Alevi are in force in some parts of Turkey (The Economist 14). The obstacles these factors pose to Turkey's accession to the EU are obvious. Discrimination against minorities could keep Turks...... middle of paper ......February 6, 2010.8885 mark.do?&contentSet=IACDocuments&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=ITOF&doc Id=A129367209&source=gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=lfpl&version =1.0 >Harth, Elfriede. “No place for religion in the European constitution: the absence of God does not mean an absence of good. (Opinion).” Consciousness Spring 2003: 46. General OneFile. Internet. February 26, 2010. < http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=ITOF&docId=A101260791&source=g ale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=lfpl&version=1.0>Coughlan, John. “God and Caesar in the New Europe.” America August 4, 2003: 20. General OneFile. Internet. February 26, 2010. < http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=ITOF&docId=A106060295&sorc e =gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=lfpl&version=1.0>