Turkey Allows Churches

"Turkey’s bid to join the European Union has resulted in a relaxation of restrictions on Christian activity. The country is now allowing churches to register. Only 55 Protestant churches have been publicly identified as places of worship in Turkey’s major cities prior to this significant change." From Agape Press, Link
A book I read recently, Why Europe Will Run the 21st Century, by Mark Leonard gives a good argument why the EU can encourage countries to become more democratic through withholding the benefits of joining the EU, as opposed to the model of military might to scare or force countries to comply to a standard.