Europe | One last push

The EU is finally rebooting the enlargement machine

Going from 27 to 36 members will require reform of the bloc

A large EU flag lies in Schuman square, outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels
Image: Reuters
|BRUSSELS

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted a slew of geopolitical realignments, from China to India by way of Turkey. Many are likely to prove fleeting. But one that may prove durable is a new European order now being actively considered. Some 2,000km from the front lines, in Brussels, the war on its continent has prompted the European Union to give serious consideration to bringing new countries into the club for the first time in over a decade—and to adapt the union for what is likely to be its last big enlargement.

This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “One last push”

From the September 30th 2023 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

Discover more

Georgian opposition protests in Tbilisi, Georgia - 30 Nov 2024

Huge anti-Russian protests in Tbilisi echo Ukraine’s Maidan

A turn away from the EU plunges Georgia into crisis

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier leaves the podium after delivering a speech as part of the French National Assembly.

France’s government faces the imminent loss of a vote of confidence 

Michel Barnier, the prime minister, has failed to get his budget through parliament



Emmanuel Macron shows off the gloriously restored Notre Dame

Five years after it was gutted by fire, the cathedral is more beautiful than ever

Ursula von der Leyen has a new doctrine for handling the hard right

The boss of the European Commission embarks on a second term

Marine Le Pen spooks the bond markets

She threatens to bring down the French government, but also faces a possible ban from politics