Part 7/9:
To enter Tier 2, candidates would need to showcase compliance with basic EU principles. Other countries with maintained democratic norms—regardless of their current political climate, such as Turkey—would also qualify under this model to encourage geopolitically important partnerships and prevent them from gravitating toward non-Western powers like Russia or China.
Addressing Existing Challenges
Beyond restructuring the membership model, the EU faces several existential challenges that need immediate attention. These include the fragmentation among 27 nations in matters of foreign policy and defense, the inflexible consensus-based voting process, and overregulation that stifles innovation.