Portugal, holder of the European Union’s rotating presidency as of this past Sunday, is facing an uphill battle in its goal to admit Turkey into the EU.

Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates clearly faces stiff resistance to Turkey’s membership from different EU members. For example, France’s new president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has shown his opposition by blocking vital entrance negotiations concerning Turkish-EU economic and monetary policy—a move that throws Turkish entry talks into doubt.

Sarkozy, who made it a part of his presidential campaign to oppose the Muslim state’s membership bid, says Turkey should join a Mediterranean union rather than a European Union.

Sócrates, however, argues that halting membership talks with Turkey would damage EU credibility on the world scene and especially in the Muslim world.

For years, the EU has dangled membership status in front of Turkey but has never followed through. If history is a guide, the more influential members of the largely Christian union, such as France and Germany, will impose their will on Europe and block Turkey’s accession. Clearly, adding the majority-Muslim Turkish nation to the EU would significantly alter the religious and cultural composition of the Union, something these states are loath to allow.

In the time ahead, we can expect the European Union to grow more Roman Catholic in its composition, not less. To read more on EU-Turkish relations, read “Outside Closed Doors.”

Editors’ Note: An incorrect reference to Nicolas Sarkozy being France’s prime minister was changed. He is France’s new president.